The Scorpion King: The Rise of the Akkadian
by Sorceress Cassandra180
Summary: The Akkadian race is all but decimated, but out of it's ashes, a young man shall rise. A man who will stop at nothing until he has fufilled an oath made to his dying king, a man who will not stop until his tribe's destruction is avenged...
1. Prologue

**THE SCORPION KING**

**RISE OF THE AKKADIAN**

By Sorceress Cassandra180

**Disclamer- **The only charaters that I own are Latana, Karatas, The Night Star,and Inactic all the other charaters are own by Universal and Stephen Sommers

**Author's Note**- After much pressuring from my mother I have decide to post this story on the internet. This story has been my haven through a hard time in my life as has the charaters and although many may not of enjoyed the Gamecube game that it is based on I ask that you go easy on the reviews. Since this story has become really important to me

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"Feeling your skin down inside me

I'm not dying for it

I Stand Alone,

Everything that I believe is faded"

-GODSMACK'S "_I Stand Alone"_**

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**BOOK 1**

**PROLOGUE:**

_THE WIND BLEW THE DESERT SANDS. From a mound of sand crept a small scorpion. The prefect predator for a scorpion is silent, fast, and deadly. The poison in it's tail could kill a man._

_A great falcon swooped down, snatching the scorpion in its mighty talons. It's prey now captured._

_Not even the scorpion is totally safe from harm._

_In a fertile valley, in the midlands, various nomadic tribes ceased their wonderings and established the great kingdom of Akkad. The Akkadians train under the eyes of their great King Urmhet to learn the deadly arts of combat for Akkadians where respectable warriors, assassins that dispense only justice for the right price. One day, those who have chosen this path will take the test that will prove their worth as assassins…_

_Today one young man, one young warrior, one among their number will face this test._

_A man named Mathayus._

_A man who will one day be known as…_

**_THE SCORPION KING_**


	2. A New Tale

**1**

**A NEW TALE**

**WHAM!** The sound of slapping wood, surprisingly, echoed in the small clearing. The clearing was behind a home made of mud-brick, that washere I choose to practice in. It was ideal, beingaway from the hustle and bustle of Akkad's dirt streets, and not vary far from our nearby river.And it was here my sparring partner and I where working on our wooden staff technique.

I quickly blocked up high as my adversary tried to slam me down from above. That had been close. Too close. Thinking quickly, I used an old warrior's trick, steppingbefore sun's fiery rays. The great light temporarily blinded my opponent. Using this to my advantage, I swung around with my staff, knocking my opponent to the dirt ground.

I could feel a surge of satisfaction in my veins as I looked down to my fallenopponent.

Rama, my brother by our parents' marriage and my sparring partner, shielded his eyes from the blinding rays.

I grinned at Rama as I said, "Let me help you to your feet, brother", holding out my hand to him.

Rama clasped my wrist, and I pulled him up.

While Rama is brushing himself off let me explain so you're not so confused, as I'm sure you must be.

I am Mathayus, and,Ihave just turned nineteen years of age today. Ihave long dark hair that falls down my back, copper colored skin like most of my tribe, dark eyes, and a muscular frame that I had gotten from years of training.On this day I had chosen to whereleather breeches and boots for more obvious reasons.

One look at Rama and me and your could tell wecannot berelated, by blood anyway. Rama's hair is a dark, dark brown, he is mustached, and black lines (Akkadian battle markings) marked his cheekbones. He, like me, wore leather breeches and boots but he also wore a leather cuirass to protect his chest. His body frame was the same as mine (since most all of us are warriors all men in Akkad have the same body frame).

Even though (asI have said)wemay not berelated by blood we have been through so much and havecome close enough to be brothers.

Suddenly a hearty laugh rang out, in the clearing.

I turned to see my other brother, well half-brother, Jesup, step from the shadows of the mud-brick home.

Jesup's hair, skin color, and eyes matched my own. However, Jesup is more weathered and, by far, a hell of a lot more war-beaten. His battle marking consisted of black lion paw prints on either side of his face on his cheekbones, and a blue green triangle tattoo right between his eyebrows. Marking him as an experenced warrior.

He was still laughing a little when he picked up Rama's dropped staff.

"He planted you in the dirt Rama!" Jesup chuckled.

"He stood in front of the sun!" Rama shot back then added in a somewhat softer tone, "I couldn't see".

"Mathayus used a valid strategy," Jesup said frowning at Rama's outburst, "it defeated you didn't it?"

"I suppose so", Rama finally admitted but quickly added, "but it's the very first time."

Rama looked at me and said with a wry smile, "You'll have to do a lot better to get through the preparations and pass the test today, Mathayus"

I smiled back.

"Don't worry about me", I said confidently reassuring my brother, "I've had all the training thatI can stomach".

"For this test?" Jesup said with the same wry smile Rama had given me, "I sure as hell hope so, Little Brother".

I smiled and Rama laughed.

It was then Ilooked out onto the horizon of mountains. Beyond it I knew was desert. Itmay of beena breathtaking sight to some,but during sunset and sunrise it was a sight to see with the many colors and their shades. I had always wanted to go beyond those mountains ever since I could remember, and today, I may get my chance.

I looked over to my brothers to see that, they too, where looking on to the horizon. Ever since we where youngwe all had the same wish: to see the world beyond those mountains, together, someday.

"I can't wait to get out of here," I said suddenly.

Jesup looked at me; "You want to leave?"

"Well, maybe for a little while", I said. " After so many years oftraining I know what to expect from the world out there. But still I just want to see it. I'm so tired of not having stories to tell like the elders,and memories to have, and people who don't remember my name."

"The world out there is a difficult place," Rama said. "You know that from some of our experiences."

I nodded. I may be just be nineteen but already I have protected my family and the tribe several times. From slaying monsters to protecting a girl whose name I never heard. I've had my "tastes" of the real world. A world that, in spite of it all, I so wished to see.

"I know", I said, "but I still want to get out of here. I want to get out in the real world".

I then looked to Jesup and Rama.

"And this _test_", I said confidently, "won't get in my way."

"Don't be so sure!" Jesup said with a glem in his eye.

Then, before I could see it coming, he swung the staff knocking me to the ground. Wooden staff flying from my hands. I got up and gave Jesup a piercing look; he gave me a friendly grin in return.

"You must be alert at all times to be an assassin", Jesup lectured (as if only he knew how to do the job right), "if you lose concentration, even for a second, it will get you killed".

"Alright, alright", I said, somewhatannoyed Jesup was, once again, giving me this lecture (after he had done so many times when I was younger).

"You've made you point, Jesup".

Jesup shook his head giving me one of those looks like he doubted it, but knew better than to argue.

"Well, we better get going shouldn't we?" Rama asked suddenly.

"It may be a good idea" Jesup replied.

I nodded and followed my brothers out of the clearing.

Akkad's streets may seem at times crowded because they are. But growing up aroundit, youcan't help but adaptto it.In these streetsthere where women washing clothes, children playing games, young men and women practicing moves of combat (women have right to it as much as men do, here), old men tellingtales to the younger children about their glory days as warriors, and younger experienced warriors sharpening their weapons. It was in this hustle and bustle my brothers and I heard our names called.

"Mathayus! Jesup! Rama! Wait up!".

We turned to see a boy of sixteen, with shoulder length black hair, brown eyes, and darkly tan skin. Hewore theleather armbands, breeches, and sandals that marked him as a warrior in training.

This boy was my cousin Karatas. A boy me and my brothers practically raised since his father and brother died.

Karatas motioned for us to join him in the safe, non-crowded area between two mud brick homes.

"Hey guys," he said somewhat out of breath (I hadguessed he had ran after us).

"What are you doing out here, Boy?" Jesup said, cocking an eyebrow. "shouldn't you be at training?"

"No", Karatas replied getting his breath. "The trainers, let us out early".

"You know that only means one thing, Mathayus", Rama said with that same wry smile again.

"Oh damn", I muttered under my breath.

It mentwould have to fight my own trainers to reach King Urmhet.

"What? Are you taking your test today Mathayus?" Karatas asked.

"Yes", I replied.

At this Karatas smiled proud smile. He had been watching me train, even before he could walk, so he knew that this was important to me.

"It's high time you did," Karatas said, holding out his hand.

I couldn't help but smile backand grab his wrist and shake it in a warrior's handshake.

"Tell me about it", I repled. "King Urmhet finally believes I'm ready."

"Hey that reminds me", Karatas said suddenly to Jesup and Rama. "I'veheard the king sent for you two this morning."

I looked to my two brothers. _When had that happen? _I wondered. I didn't remember then leaving that morning.

"Yes, he did", Rama said. I couldn't help but notice the way he and Jesup caught each other's eye.

"What did the king want?" I asked simply.

"Well, he wanted us to guide you to the preparations that where being made at the time", Jesup said quickly, andrather coollyI noticed.

Rama nodded, andsuddenlysaid, "Well we better go. See you later on Karatas."

"I'll be with you in a minute," I said to my brothers, "I'd like to have a word with Karatas".

They shrugged their shoulders and agreed to meet me before the first preparation.

"What the hell was that all about?" I said to Karatas as they disappeared into the crowd.

"I have no idea", Karatas said. "But if I didn't know any better, I'd say they're up to something."

We both knew Jesup and Rama well enough to know when they where lying since both where very bad at it. And, either we where losing our touch or they lied to us just now. Iwondered why.

"You probably better go", Karatas said, suddenly.

"Yes, I'd better", I replied, turning to leave.

"You will tell me how it goes, won't you?" He called after me.

"You know I will", I called back.

"Tell Lantana I said hi"

" Who's she? Lantana? You know dozens of girls namedLatana, right?"

"Mathayus! You-!"

"I'm joking! Of course I will."

Karatas yelled something back but I was too far away, his voicebecame lost in the crowd.

---

I soon found myself awhile away from Akkad's bustling dirt streets. The path to the place was insolated and not a mud-brick home or a sentry tower was in sight. It was at the place where the pathsplit that I finallycaught up with Jesup and Rama. Both who where waiting for me.

"Now", Jesup said gesturing to the path on the left, "the king wants to see you after your preparations. Go through them all and defeat each and every one of the trainers. Keep practicing and meet us at the top of the village when you're ready. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"We'll see you there, Mathayus," Rama said to me, then turning to our older brother he said,"let's go Jesup".

I took the path that students take on the left while Jesup and Rama took the path on the right. I didn't worry, after all, I would see them again.

The path led me to a small walled in clearing. I went in from a wooden gate to face the single trainer that waited for me. A man named Kepri.

"Greetings Mathayus" He nodded. His long braids slid off his shoulders as he nodded to me. His strong cheekbones carried the same black lion paw prints that Jesup had.

I nodded my respect to him.

"You have a total of seven preparations created for you", Kepri spokewisely.

I nodded once again.

"In this challenge you must defeat me using your basic attacks" Kepri said, "do you understand?"

"Yes sir," I replied.

"Good. Ready?" Kepri said getting into a fighting stance.

I did the same as him. Preparing myself for the challange.

"NOW!"

Kepri ran at me and punched. I blocked and lashed out with a punch of my own, that Kepri blocked.

It was then, out of nowhere, Kepri directed a roundhouse kick into my ribs.

Despite the fact I had been trained to bear great pain, I winced at the connection of his foot with my side.

I then, quickly swung around with a snap kick. Kepri stumbled a little but quickly recovered to punch me, hard, in the stomach. I gave him a punch that he blocked. It was in this moment of distraction I swung around with fast punch. The punch connected with his chest one, two, three times. I then finished the job with a spinning kick that hit his shoulder.

Kepri hit the dirt ground with a moan.

Breathing hard, I walked to Kepri.

"Do you yield?" I asked looking down to him.

Kepri moaned out a word that sounded like a yes.

I held out my hand. Kepri grabbed my wrist and, together, we pulled him up.

"You alright?" I asked.

"I've been through worse", he said.

I smiled. He was a seasoned warrior. What else did I expect him to say?

It was then he stood up, a bit straighter. A bit of a smile on his face, and he spoke.

"You may progress to the next level."

---

The next four preparations tested me tomy limits. The next was the test of useingblocking and breakout moves, after that was the test of how well I used my surroundings, then the test of special kicks and punches, and then, finally, the test of pressure points that one could use in battle. Each of the preparations took place in the same small walled arealike the one where thefirst preparation took place.

Also I noticed that the sounds of Akkad's streets started to sound more and more distant. This was making a statement, for many had started this training but few have qualified to make it this far. The life of a warrior is a hard one, but I was willing to take that risk.

It wasn't long and yet it felt like a long time until I was before the gate to the sixth preparation. One thing I, instantly, noticed was this clearing was twice as big as the other walled in clearings. I wondered why when I saw the final trainer.

The man's name was Acturid, he had been one of my trainers ever since I had started to learn the arts of combat. His hair, like the others, was long andbraided; his battle markings consisted of a band of red around his brow, and lion paw prints on his cheeks.

"It's nice to see you again, Mathayus," Acturid spoke politely, and grinned.

"It's nice to see you as well, my friend," I said giving a small smile.

"Congratulations on making it this far," He said, then his face turned grave, his voice serious, "but you are not done yet".

I nodded, my smile now gone.

"This preparation will test you on how well you react to surprising situations," Acturid said, "should you find yourself in one".

"Of course," I said, and nodded.

"Now you must wait," Acturid said, "you will know when this preparation, this little test, will begin".

---

Several minutes had passed when it started to seem unbearable. I would glance to Acturid to see him staring off into the distance. _He seems to be waiting for something, _I thought, _but what?_

It waswhenI had striked up the nerve to ask him what he had in mind,an odd birdcall shattered the silence. I swung around,having heard it before, but where was it comeing from? Another birdcall answered it, then another, than another. My keen senses could feel it. Those where not ordinary bird calls.

Suddenly,all five of the trainers I had fought earlier appeared in the clearing with Acturid and I. _What the-?_ But before my mind could register all this a blood curdling war cry issued from behind me.

I turned to, just in time, block one of Acturid's strong punches. Suddenly he kicked me in chest.

I stumbled back to receive another kick in the back from, I suspected, Kepri.

I recovered from the blow quickly to give him a jump snap kick in the stomach. I punched him wherever I could. I then gave him a powerful right hook in the head.

Then two different trainers punched at me at the same time. I dodged both and, somehow, managed to grab both of their punches by the wrist. I quickly flipped them, head-over-heels, to the ground. Then, to make sure they wouldn't cause me anymore trouble, I slammed myself to the ground. My elbows knocking the wind out of them.

I kicked myself up to fight the next trainer. I punched the man, solidly, three times in the chest. I than picked him up by his leather cuirass and held him above my head, it was at that time another trainer stepped foreword. I threw the trainer I had at him, both hitting each other with a **_SMACK_**.

I looked around to see one last trainer standing. It was Acturid, and the look in his eyes told me that he would not go easily. He charged, and I, knowing that only a fool would stand still, dashed to a corner that had several clay urns in it. I snatched up one and threw it at him with all my might.

Acturid stumbled a little when the urn hit him and shattered. Now was my chance. I ran at him and punched. Unfortunately he had anticipated my next move. He grabbed my wrist and flipped me onto the ground. Igroaned asI hit the hard ground.

"Do you yield?" Acturid demanded.

It couldn't be over. Notyet.

I thought quickly. Coming up with an idea.

"I believe you're asking the wrong question, my friend," I said.

"Oh?" Acturid said in mock concern.

"Yes, the right question is..."

I kicked him in the knee as hard as I could. As he fell, wincing, to his knees I kick myself up and gave him a front-thrust kick in the back.

He had rolled up onto his back when I put my foot in his chest holding him down.

"Do _you_ yield, Acturid?" I said sternly.

He muttered a few words under his breath then he muttered the word, "Yes."

I removed my foot from his chest and offered to help him up. As I did the other trainers stumbled up.

"Well," said Kepri in a husky voice, rubbing his arms, "it appears you may progress to the last preparation".

"Yes it does," Acturid said still wincing, "do have fun."

I grinned, "I will see you later, my friends."

I went through the gate and onto the path to the last preparation.

This much I knew, if that was the sixth preparation, thenwhat challenge did I have for the seventh?

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Just press that cute little button that says "Go" please! 


	3. Brothers in Arms

**2**

**BROTHERS-IN-ARMS**

I WAS CLOSE. I knew this when I saw the slope in the path before me. From journeying through heremany timesI knew it wasbeforethe last clearing, theseventh preparation, and trainer's test, was beyond that.

Already I could see the palace that had beenmade of both mud-brick and stone. Some of our older warriors say that our palace isquite modest compared to themanylooming towers, and palaces of faraway places, and foreign peoples. ButI believed then, and still believe evennow, that it was one of the most sacred, and one of the most grandest places I've ever entered.

Soon I had climbed up the slope and saw, in the clearing, waiting for me, was none other than Jesup and Rama.

_What the hell are they doing here?_ I thought to myself. I then remembered Jesup's words: _Meet us at the top of the village when your ready._ But my trainers spoke of _seven_ preparations not six…

It was then I realized something with a shock. Could they be my seventh preparation?The lastchallenge before I wentbefore myking to take my test; a moment I had labored so hard for?It suddenlymade sense on why theyhad beenuncomfortable when Karatas mentioned that they had been sent to the king, and why they lied. They had, carefully,made sure I didn't notice them leaving as well. Wasn't it them who suggested I practice for the upcoming preparations?

I took several deep breaths. _Well, _I thought, _there's only one way to find out._

I strode down to the last clearing. I was at the gate when Jesup looked up and saw me, he nudged Rama in shoulder and motioned his head my way. Rama grabbed his, now reclaimed, wooden staff.

I had shut the wooden gate behind me when I turned to see my brothers. Both of them stood up, blocking my way (how very like them), Jesup's hands where on his hips, he and Rama wore stern expressions on their faces.

I stepped forward, careful not to show any emotion of my surprise or curiosity on why they where here, and if I was right on guessing why they were.

"So, Mathayus," Jesup said in a tone, like he wasscolding a foolish child, "you_ think_ you're ready to take the test?"

I stopped, feeling a flash of burning anger. He knew damn good and well I was more than ready, more than prepared to go on to the most important chapter of my life.

"Whatever the king wants, I'm up to the challange" I replied curtly, my tone filled with, both, defiance and confidence.

"Oh _not so fast_," said Rama, hisvoice dripping with arrogance, swinging his staff,"Beat both of us _than_ you'll be fit to see the king".

So they _where_, my last challenge. King Urmhet, and the other trainers must of put them up to this.

Well if my brothers wanted action, then, they where going to _get_ action.

"So be it!" I said darkly, getting into a fighting stance.

Jesup and Rama, took off at me with a run. As soon as they got close enough they both attacked, Jesup with a punch, and Rama slammed at my head with his staff. I, quickly, blocked Jesup's punch, and dodged Rama's blow, then before either of them could notice I lashed out with a kick, that pushed Rama out of the way.

It was just me and Jesup, for now.

We both attacked. At that moment neither of us could get a hit on the other. Every time Jesup punched I blocked, and every time I punched Jesup blocked. I couldn't help but be surprise; there was a time when Jesup would send me to the floor in no time. And now…

I tried my best not to look too surprised and tried not to admire both my improved skills as well as Jesup's, and, from the look on my brother's face, he was as surprised and was filled with as much awe as I was.

It was then Jesup kicked me in the side. As I winced he managed, at least, three punches in the chest. I stumble back, aching pain filled my side and chest.

It was then something strange happened, well at least strange for me.

A internal fire thatI had never knew was inside mehit my blood, filling me with a powerful burst of energy. It was then Jesup, once again, attacked, but, this time, I was ready for him.

Jesup lunged at me with a punch. I blocked it with one hand, and with the other leg, roundhouse kicked him as hard as I could in his side.

As Jesup leaned over in, apparent, pain I did a spinning crescent kick that hit him in the back. It wasn't a hard kick, it was just a kick enough to send him to the ground.

It was then there was a loud **_SMACK_** and I could feel a line ofburningfire running down my back. I swung around to see what had hit me.

It was Rama. Rama and his wooden staff.

Rama swung around with is staff, trying to sweep me to the ground. Quickly I jump kicked him in the chest. Rama stumbled back but quickly recovered.

He gave me a stern look, I gave him one in return. We circled each other. Judging on what move to make next. At that moment another bust of fiery energy hit my veins. It was a good thing too because of what happened next.

Rama moved forward, swinging his staff to hit either side of my head. I gave two solid blocks that stopped the staff from making contact and I gave Rama a solid thrust kick in the chest.

Rama stumbled back, but quickly recovered. He swung his staff at my head for a painful blow (that I knew from experience). Quickly I caught the staff from making the blow and yanked it back, out Rama's hands.

His stern expression changed in to one of surprise as I yanked the wooden staff out of his hands. He knew I could use that staff on him with no problems, well no problems for _me_ anyway. But I had something else in mind.

I threw the staff back to him. But as his fingers closed around it to catch itI ran at him. I made at least three solid hits on his chest. He stumbled back and ran at swinging. At that moment I got down and sweep kicked him to the ground.

My body ached and I knew my arms had bruises forming where I had blocked Jesup's and Rama's strong swings and blows. But for the first time since I was able to spar my brothers I was still standing, havingdefeated them. Both of them.

I was still breathing hard but I couldn't help but feel proud of myself. I had trained for years, giving it my all, practicing as much as I could and now to know that my skills had either matched my older brothers, or rivaled them was enough to make me feel it was all worth it.

Jesup and Rama got up stumbling.

"Well, he defeated us both Jesup", said Rama still wincing, rubbing his side.

"Yes, his skill is great", Jesup said, he too was wincing.

"Why don't you two just shut up and speak for yourselves", I said rubbing an extremely sore spot on my arms.

_Damn,_ I thought to myself, _I'm going to have a hell of a bruise there in the morning._

Jesup and Rama grinned to each other at my remark. They stood up still rubbing a few sore spots.

"Mathayus," Jesup said, pointing to the palace, "the king awaits you inside".

I nodded, "I'll tell you how it goes".

And then, feeling confident, and abit proudwith myself, I strode to the palace doors.

-

As soon as I entered the grand marble entrance hall (that was about twenty paces down) I could hear the sounds of laughter from the palace children that ran aimlessly around the hall; playing the games children do.

"Mathayus!" yelled a surprised voice.

I turned to see a girl about Karatas's age running towards me. A girl who I felt was the sister I never had. Her long black hair was carefully styled in to manybraids, her skin wasa light tan, she wore a golden band around her elegant forehead and a crisp white linen tunic. This pretty girl was none other then the kings daughter, Princess Lantana.

"I am so sorry, Brother," she said in an apologetic tone, "if I would of known you where coming, I would of sent my brothers and sisters to the nursery instead of gallivanting around like a wild pack of jackals".

"Hey!" I said remembering a small wild girl from long ago, "you would be the on to talk".

" Oh, very funny, Mathayus," Lantana said in a dry tone.

Suddenly there was a loud **_CRASH!_** that echoed through out the hall. Two young children seemed to knock over a ceramic vase that, I suspected, was from some faraway country.

"Narmer!" Lantana called angrily, "Iran!"

There was a bursts of giggles as the two children ran off with the others. Lantana put her hand up to he brow, and shook her head and muttered some words that you wouldn't think a princess like her would say.

I had to smile at all this, "Why don't I spare you a headache, little sister, and ask you to lead me to the throne room?"

"Yes," she said, relieved, "Thank you."

She waved at a servant to deal with the task of seeing to the palace children and started tolead me through a corridor.

"So, I suppose your father charged you with taking care of the palace children", I said with a grin.

"Unfortunately, yes", she said with a tone, "he charged me, Prince Trion, and Prince Telent with the task. But as, you can see, they weren't there to help."

"I noticed," I said. Honestly, it didn't really surprise me, the two oldest princes where lazy, rotten, selfish, spoiled brats growing up (trust me I know), so I guessed they haven't really changed much now that they have grown up to be men around my age.

"Let me tell you," Lantana said with a tone of slight disgust, "they're more full of themselves than ever."

"I'll bet."

Lantana smiled her first smile since I got here.

"Oh," I said remembering a promise I had made earlier, "Karatas said hi".

It was then Lantana smiled ever wider.

"So how are things between you two?" I asked, inquisitive.

"There great," She said still smiling, "truthfully I should be thanking you since you introduced us."

"Well, it's simple, don't, alright," I insisted, "just invite me to the wedding ceremony."

"Mathayus!" she said playfully punching me in the arm.

I blocked it laughing.

"You fiend!" she cried swinging again.

"I'm sorry," I said, blocking it again. "I couldn't help it."

"Your lucky I didn't join Jesup and Rama in that last challenge thatFather told meyou had!" Lantana cried out, all the while trying to look angry and not break into fits of laughter.

"Sorry, little sister," I said grinning.

"No your not," Lantana said, obviously not sounding convinced.

"True".

Lantana gave me a dirty look then broke out laughing, making all the servants turn to her and smile.

-

Soon we where before the giant door, made of dark wood, that opened to the grand throne room.

"Are you alright Mathayus?" she asked. "Are you nervous?"

"Are you joking?" I said to her, " I was born for this task".

She smiled, "Well you have my blessing, my brother".

"Thank you," I said and pulled open the door and went in alone.

-

The marble throne room was as massive as the grand entrance hall. It's walls and floors made of the same tan marble, blue lotuses painted at the top of the great columns. Torches lined the wall and a carpet of the deepest reds led to the throne and the breeze brought in the sweet scent of the desert flowers from the nearby garden .

And there, sitting, matronly, on the throne of the finest leopard skins was none other than King Urmhet himself.

His body frame was weathered, yet strong, he dark eyes held a powerful wisdom in them, his once black hair had turned to a slivery gray, and, atop his head was a golden crown, he wore his warriors clothes.

I had met King Urmhet countless times and he had helped me through one of my most roughest times in my life. He felt like a father, brother, and uncle to me, so I was completely comfortable standing before my king.

"King Urmhet," I said kneeling before him, eyes lowered, showing respect, "I have come to begin my test."

"Rise Mathayus," King Urmhet said in a deep distinct voice.

I stood up before him.

King Urmhet looked at me like an uncle would look upon ason (that is what all of his warriors must feel like to him, family). He smiled at me.

"You have worked hard for this day," King Urmhet said, "now I lay my task before you".

I nodded, "I am ready, my king".

"To the south of here lies the market town of Khemet," King Urmhet said his smile now gone, "I trust you have heard of it".

I nodded. Many of our bartered goods came from Khemet.

"Three days ago, the lord Kerpren announced that he would double the price of taxes," King Urmhet said. "One of his closest advisors cautioned him against it saying it would, surly, lead to a revolt of the lower class. The lord, instead of taking this as a friendly warning, took it as a threat. He sent for the advisors daughters, his own concubines, and before the girl's father and sisters foully murdered one of them. Telling him that if he ever risen against him the same fate would await the other two, and he would deliver the girls head to him on a platter."

I shook my head. How could, this man be so cold and cruel to kill one of his own women because of the girls father made a friendly warning?

"Fearing for their own lives," King Urmhet continued, "the girl's sisters have asked for the help of the Akkadians".

King Urmhet stopped and pointed to me.

"I send you, Mathayus," he said. "You will enter Khemet by night, and make your way into the place, and find the lord in his bedchambers. There you will… dispense justice on the monster."

"I understand, King Urmhet," I said.

"Live Free, Mathayus," King Urmhet said speaking the first of the Akkadian creed, the traditional farewell.

"Die Well, My king" I completed the saying. Giving King Urmhet a quick bow.

I left the throne room, knowing well what I must do.


	4. Khemet

**3**

**KHEMET**

IT WAS QUIET ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF KHEMET. The only sounds in the night where the sounds of crickets. The full moon and stars where on high when I made it to the market town. The wooden entrance doors where closed and bolted shut, for that reason I had to find another way in.

In the corner farthest from the palace I found my entrance. A part of the wall had cracked and weathered away leaving a great gap in the wall. So I climbed up the wall and into that gap. I looked below to see a thatched roof. Quietly, I jumped down and landed with not so much as a sound. Furtively, I walked on the roof hearing the snores of the home occupants. I glanced around to see not a living soul. So as silently as I could, I jumped to the sand, and dusty ground.

I surveyed the area. It was as quiet as a tomb, a few abandoned homes where in the corner and a iron black oil torch flickered in the night. I could hear a few people in the night, speaking in their homes but I did not see anyone. Not yet.

I hid in the shadows. Even though I did not see any one it didn't mean that thenight gaurds would patrolling the streets.

It was a good thing I did as well, as soon as I had hidden a guard that, not doubt, was on the night watch came to the small corner that I was in. I hoped that the shadows where hiding me well, as the guard walked about four paces in front of me. I quietly sidestepped, as the guard looked around.

It was then I stepped on, I surmised, a twig of kindleing. A small _crack _issued in the night. It was a small noise but it was loud enough.

"Hey You!" the guard said to me (thanks to the twig he knew where I was at).

_Well, _I thought to myself, _so much for the silent approach. _

There was the sound of metal scraping against leather, and in the torchlight I saw the guard unsheathe his bronze sword. He put the edge to my throat.

"Come out of the shadows", the guard said.

_Damn!_

_Would he recognize me as an Akkadian?_ I wondered. I hoped not, butif so then it wouldn't be long until I would be (as my creedput it)dying well.

I stepped into the torchlight. He raised an eyebrow. _Did he recognize me as an assassin_?

It was then he spoke in a hash tone, "What the hell are you doing out at this late at night, boy?"

I thought quickly.

"I'mhere to apologize, Sir,"I said simply.

"For what?" said the guard.

I moved my neck so I wouldn't get cut, and crescent kicked the sword out of his hands. While the sword was in the air I punched him in the jaw knocking him unconscious.

As he hit the ground I spoke to him, "For that."

I grabbed the unconscious guard and pulled him into the shadows, I put the sword in his hand to make it seem as if his was merely sleeping on his late night duty. It was then I darted to the next shadow.

I was wary. If there were more night guards then this test would be a little harder than I thought.

-

It was while I was darting from shadow to shadow that I saw three guards ahead of me.

_Damn it, _I thought. If I knocked out more than one guard and they noticed, then the whole guard would, surely, be alerted. Besides they knew these streets a hell of a lot better than I did.

I glanced around to see a traders cart resting against a mud brick home. This home was connected to the other with thick wooden beams that had various sorts of weaponry on display.

I darted, silently to the cart and climbed onto it, and from the cart I climbed onto the thatched roof of the mud brick home. I quietly crept along the roof to the thick beams. Keeping in mind that the three guards where just below me. Torches in their hands would make it difficult to hide in the night. If they looked up then they most likely would of spotted me (I may be good at hiding but I can't turn invisible) and who knows what would happen.

I made it to the beam. Now I had to be vary careful where I stepped. I felt like an agile predator as I carefully stepped across the beam, aware that I was stepping on to the hangings of many weapons.

I may have been at least halfway across the beam when I heard a soft _click_ behind me. I turned to see not only was a bonze sword sheathe was loose but, somehow, the leather sheathe was coming undone. Before I could go secure the sword and tighten the leather binding on it's sheathe, before I could snatch itthe bronze sword cut through its leather binding and fell freely to the ground.

There was a strange _whistling_ sound as the metalsword fell, turning end over end. The sword hit the ground point first. Sheathing itself into the earth with a strange **_THR-UMP!_**

There wasn't anyway they could of not hear that. It had practically echoed off the mud brick homes in the silent night. All three of the guards stopped dead their silent conversation. They swung around to see the bonze sword in the ground then, instinctively they looked up _straight at me_.

Well, it was obvious that I wasn't here for a good night stroll or anything; after all who would have onthe high beams in the market place?One of the guards grabbed his bow and an arrow he quickly notched it. I thought quickly. He pulled back the bowstring and his arrow let fly. As his arrow came speeding at me I dived off the beam, narrowly missing it. I hit the ground (It wasn't a long drop) rolling to my feet, as I did that I unsheathed the bronze sword from its earthy scabbard.

I charged at they guard, sword in hand, as he reached back for another arrow. I was before him, when he had grabbed hold of one. I slashed at his bow with the sword and threw him one punch that knocked him to the floor, unconscious.

Then there was a _swish _as an arrow went byand then a painful burning sensation on my arm. I swung around to face another night guard with a bow in hand.

He threw his bow aside and took up his bronze sword. We ran at each other. The guard swung his sword at my side, I answered with a parry. The sound of clashing steel filled the still night. I swung with a slash of my own, that the guard parried. I then sent a, unexpected, snap kick in the groin. Then, as he leaned forward in pain, I sent my sword hilt crashing down onto the back of his head. He fell to the ground. I swung around to see the last guard.

His eyes widened in fear. Not even taking up his sword, he bolted through an alleyway. Most likely, he was off to warn his fellow guardsmen that there was an intruder.

_Cowards, _I thought to myself and, with the bronze sword in hand I set off, once agian,into the dark night.

-

I was a little while later I found myself before a wooden plank gate in what looked like a wall, looking to my right I saw a door. Could something through that door open the gate? I had to find out. I walked to the door, unsure of what I was about to do. I clasped the worn handle and pulled it open.

In this somewhat small room (that was about several paces from one far wall to the other) there was only a table with wooden plate and with small animal bones piled on it, and wheel that was in the center of the wall across from the only door in this small room. I sat my bronze sword on the table and went to the wheel.

With all the strength I could muster, I pulled the wheel that, I guessed, hoisted the gate, and, using a wooden block nearby, locked it into place. I snatched up my bronze sword and went to see if this wheel had opened the gate. It had.

Casually, I strolled through the gate into the Town Square. I glanced at the closed shops; owners had their best good secure somewhere so each stand was empty. At the far left of where I had entered was the greatly bolted doors of Khemet's entrance, and, just sixty maybe seventy paces down the line was the massive dark wooden doors to the great place of Khemet.

The hugedoors where elevated by ten or twenty steps of tan stone. Sitting next to the palace entrance where two marble statues of sphinxes, the legendary creature of protection that had the body of a fierce lion but the head of a king. However, the sphinx wasn't the only thing guarding the palace entrance. So where several night guards.

Suddenly there was a great _**WHAM!** _As the gate came crashing down. I didn't have time to hide as the guards appeared in seconds.

"Wait!" I said in mock concern, not in the mood for another brawl, "before you do something that could get you killed, can't we talk about this?"

One of the guards unsheathed a curved scimitar, he ran at me, brandishing his weapon in the torchlight from the not far palace.

"I guess not".

I parried the guard's blow. With that for a distraction, I punched him in the gut. I glanced over to see another guard charging at me. I grabbed the bent down guard by the linen tunic collar and threw him at the other charging guard. They hit each other with a **_SMACK!_** I turned to the next angry night guard with a spinning back kick that sent him colliding with another guard.

It was then the massive palace doors opened. Three palace guards came out.

"It's the Akkadian intruder!" gasped one.

"Bring me his head!" another ordered.

One of the guards ran at me, sword swinging. My sword met his with a loud **_CLANG!_** I kicked him in the stomach, and with the other hand pulled a fast hit, that sent him to the floor.

Suddenly, another guard was before me. I swag my sword at his side, he parried. He sent a fast punch that I caught in the jaw. He then lunged forward with his blade. I dodged out of the way for him to stab, not me but a fellow guardsman in the side.

Now he was raging mad. He yanked his blade out of his comrade and ran at me with a shrill battle cry.

Not wanting to waste time, I did a spinning crescent kick that knocked him to the floor unconscious.

"Well," I said to the unconscious guard, "you _looked_ like a tough fighter".

I looked around, the cost was clear. I ran to the massive palace door and grasped their golden handles. I pulled and pulled but the doors where not opening.

_Damn! _

The doors must have been bolted from behind. I would have to find another way into this lord's strong shell. I looked to my right, over one of the sphinx statues, to see an alleyway that followed the palace wall. Hoping that there was another way to creep into the Lord, Kepren's home and fortress, I ran down the stairs and down the alleyway, sword drawn.

-

I followed the alley to what, at first glance, looked like an abandoned warehouse. Moving closer, I could hear voices. I, quietly, cracked open the door to see a group guards playing a game of Senet. I looked beyond them to see another door.

_Could that door open to the palace?_ I wondered. The alley stopped here. I had no choice.

I swung open the creaking door. The bunch of guards that where in this warehouse looked up and backed away in a mixture of fear and surprise.

"He's Akkadian," one breathed, quickly noticing my braids.

"It must be the intruder," another said, hand going to his .

"New travels fast around here, doesn't it?" I asked simply.

Suddenly one of the three ran at me punching. I dodged the punch, and slashed his side and pushed him away.

Another ran at me with a scimitar in one hand a metal shield in the other.

"Nice shield," I spoke up in a cocky tone, "you'll need it".

The guard slashed, I parried. I quickly sent him at slash of my own that he shielded himself from. I then snap kicked him as hard as a could between the legs.

He bent down, muttering a few words.

"Well," I said in a tone of mock concern, "that _must_ of hurt."

I then yanked my sword handle down. He fell to the floor as if he had fallen asleep.

Suddenly, one of the guards grabbed me from behind. As I struggled to free myself, I looked up to see a guard behind an armed crossbow. The guard had fired when I swung around; offering the guard who had me from behind's back. He yelled in pain as the arrow got him. I threw him off my back.

"Akkadian bastard," he muttered, "desert scum."

"That's what you get when you attack a warrior from behind, you stupid bastard", I said darkly, and gave him an upper cut punch. That sent him flipping to the floor.

I swung around just in time to dodge an arrow from the guard's crossbow. I dashed to the guard, sword swinging. I was at him before he had notched another arrow. I swung my sword at his crossbow, and with the other hand I gave him a right hook in the jaw. He fell to the dirt floor.

That brawl was over.

I looked around the unconscious guards for something I could use. I grabbed the one guard's metal shield, a sheathe that I strapped to my waist, and, to my surprise, I found an iron knuckle gauntlet that I put on my left hand.

I was making my way to the back door when I heard the _creak_ing and _clang_ing of the door behind me. I turned to see who it was.

A man that was about my size had entered the warehouse. I could tell from his leather breeches, light green tunic and matching turban that he was a royal palace guardian.

"Well, well, well," The palace guard said in a cool tone, "you must be the Akkadian intruder".

Not waiting for me to answer he drew out, not one but _two _swords. The curves of these swords where more extreme then the curve of scimitars, and enameled in blood red and gold was a single flame. These swords where Flame Tongues.

"My fellows may of failed", the palace guard said in an arrogant tone, "but I will give you your most deserved beating".

"Good," I said unsheathing my bronze sword, "I was hoping for a challenge."

The palace guard and I ran at each other. He swung his two swords at me. I raised my shield to block the first hit. I gave him a kick in the stomach. He stumbled but quickly recover

It was almost like battling Jesup and Rama all over again. His every hit came harder and faster then the last.

Quickly I thought up a risky plan. As soon as the guard came at me again I shifted my shield, the guard hit the side of my shield and then…

…The guards swords cut into the metal and where now unmovable! The poor idiot's strength had gotten the better of him.

Now was my chance. I sweep kicked him to the floor.

"Pity", I said throwing the shield aside, taking up my bronze sword. "You really did promise me a challange."

I swing my bronze sword around, so it pointed down,and sent it crashing down upon the palace guard…

-

Instead of leading to the palace, the back door led to another alleyway, but this one was close to the palace walls. I furtively hid into the shadows waiting, and watching.

There was not sound besides the sounds of a _squeak_ing unlocked window. I glanced up to the see the filigree window was one of the windows _of the palace! _

I looked to another thatched roof below it; wooden beams connected it to the mud-brick home to another right across it. I looked down the row of several mud-brick homes to see the last one had a trader's cart next to it; it was a good climbing distance away from the home. Glancing at the mud-brick homes I noticed each was a good three, or four, paces apart. I could jump that without any problems.

Sheathing my bronze sword, I ran to the home that was next to the cart and climbed up. I then, quietly, climbed on to the thatched roof. I ran and at the last minute jumped into the air. I landed onto the next roof with a soft _thump._ I then quietly ran and jumped the next. This process happened four, five times, before I was on the roof that had the beams that connected to the other home.

I stepped onto the wooden beam, careful not to lose my balance. It was not long until I stepped off the beam onto the thatched roof below the window. Silently, I went to the window, opened it and went in.

* * *

A.N- Yeah, I know, I'm evil when it comes to cliffhangers. 


	5. The Palace

**4**

**THE PALACE**

QUIETLY, I STEPPED FROM THE WINDOWSILL, AND SHUT THE WINDOW BEHIND ME. I glanced around. I could tell from the long grand tables, rugs, and grand candelabras that this must be the dining room. I went to the door on the rightwall, quietlyopened it and went in.

-

Looking right to left I could see that it was a corridor of marble. From it's open-air walls you could see the great courtyard, a fountain in the middle of a long pool.

I stepped into the corridor. I tried to shut the door quietly but the sound of the door closing echoed throughout the corridor.

I could hear the clanking of metal and leather.

_Oh Great Gods!_

I hid behind a thick tapestry of linen. It was a good thing I did as well; at least seven or eight guards, armed to the teeth, where patrolling these hallways.

I was as quiet as I could be. The only thing that I could hear was my own heartbeat…

…_and someone else's breathing!_

I was not the only one who was hiding behind this thick tapestry. Beside me was a small figure. I put my finger up to my lips as the guards clanked and clacked past us. It felt like a long, long time when I could finally step out from behind the tapestry, as did the figure.

I had my hand on the pommel of my sword until I saw that the figure was a child. A young girl that must of been about eight or nine her skin was darker than my own, her hair was a night black, an dark eyes were almost the same color. Her tunic was a course linen.

"Sir, are you…" she said than spoke quietly, softly, "are you the assassin?"

"Perhaps," I said my hand still on the sword, unsure.

"Come with me, sir," she said, "my mistresses are wishing to meet you".

She ran to a door down the corridor. I thought to myself, _Should I trust this girl or was she going to send me to my dying well?_

"Please Sir!" She pleaded, "It won't be long until the palace guards come back!"

I groaned to myself and ran after the girl.

-

The girl led me through twists of marble corridors, modest servant's rooms, and several dark passageways hidden by walls. I wondered where this girl was taking me but all I knew is that I had no one else to trust. We ran down another corridor and went to a door that led us outside to a balcony we ran up a marble staircase to a dark wooden door that had golden door handles.

"In here, sir", The girl gestured to the door.

I looked to her unsure.

"You'll be safe in here, trust me."

Taking a deep breath, I nodded and pull the door open and went in.

The walls where painted in many reds, oranges, and yellows colors; tapestries hung from the ceiling, and in the center of the room was a steaming pool, the smell of desert roses and jasmine played in the air; I knew this must be the lords harem. Near the pool where two vary, vary pretty women with dark hair and pale delicate skin, they wore sheer linen skirts and silk halters. One women wore deep lotus blue, the other women a crisp white; both wore gold and jewels of all kinds.

When I entered, they looked up, surprised. I placed my hand on my sword hilt. Unsure of who these two women were and whether or not I could trust them.

Suddenly the one who was wearing white linen smiled a dazzling smile and looked to the other and said, "Layla, It _must _be him! The Akkadian we sent for!"

The other women smiled with recognition, and relief.

"That means our request is finally answered Meri-Mut!" the other said joyfully.

At first, I didn't understand then I remembered King Urmhet's words: _Fearing for their own lives the girl's sisters have asked for the help of the Akkadians._

I asked, "You are the ones who went to my king for help?" Just in case.

"Yes," said- what had the other women called her-Layla. "Our sister was there to support our father's warning. Later, she was slaughtered before us. We loved her and must avenge her murder"

I nodded, knowing I would do the same if Jesup or Rama were murder before me.

"Where is your lord?" I asked.

"He is asleep in his private chambers," The other women, Meri-Mut, said, "Come over here Akkadian".

Meri-Mut went to one of the tapestries, and pulled it back to reveal a crude door. I went to her side as the door was revealed. It was then I looked to the women before me.

"Follow these stairs", Meri-Mut said, " when you get to the corridor take the third door to the left, that room should supply you and lead you to the throne room. When you are in the throne room, take the only door to the right. There you will be in Kerpren's chamber."

"Sister", Layla said, "why don't we distract the guards outside the other entrance?"

"Good idea," said Meri-Mut, opening the crude door to a void of black nothingness.

"I agree," I nodded, "this assassination should be done without any interruptions."

The women nodded.

"Here," Layla said, giving me a small candle.

I nodded my thanks.

"Good luck", Meri-Mut said.

I grinned at her.

"Luck doesn't come into it", I said and entered the dark passageway.

-

The passageway was a net of dust, and spider-webs. The steps where dust covered marble. The candle helped, but barely.

I followed the passage way up two different staircases to a door. After pulling the door open (this door too was hidden by a tapestry), I put out the candle and looked down the corridor to see, thankfully, no guards. I stepped out from behind the tapestry. Remembering Meri-Mut's word I quickly, and silently, went to the third door opened it and bolted it behind me.

I turned around to survey the room.

"Well, I'll be damned."

This room had to of been the armory. Scimitars glinted, metal shields gleamed, and broad swords reflected the torchlight. Setting my bronze sword aside, I sheathed a scimitar and took up a metal shield. I looked over to see another door. I opened the door and went in.

-

When I walked through the doorway, I knew that this must be the fabled throne room. It was a room filled with splendid grandeur. Two sphinxes made of white marble flanked the elevated throne, the great chair was made of marble and gold leaf, tapestries and rugs covered the tan marble wall and green marble floors.

Nor was I the only one in this great room. At least six guards were also in the room.

"Intruder!" cried a palace guard.

Two palace guards notched an arrow and they quickly pull back their bowstring. I held the shield up high as two arrows took flight, me their target. There was a _clank, _and_clang_ as the arrows found purchase in to the metal of the shield.

Two palace guards ran at me, swinging their swords. I shielded one and parried the other. I then swung around with my scimitar slashing both men, rendering them defenseless.

I ran at one of the archers as he was notching an arrow. I reverse crescent kicked the bow out of his hands, and before he could draw out his sword I head-butted the palace guard into unconsciousness.

There was a suddenly _wheesh _as an arrow flew straight at me. I swung around and got down just in time to dodge the speeding arrow. I unsheathed a knife from the archer's belt, and threw the knife right that landed between the archer's eyes. The mans head was jerked back as he fell to the floor, dead.

Another one of those palace guards ran at me and swung his sword at my side. I blocked it with my shield (it hit with a loud **_CLANG!_**) and lunged with my scimitar. It made satisfying sound as it merged with the bastard. I suddenly heard the sound of footsteps behind me. I glanced behind me to see another palace guard charging, his sword swinging. I yanked the scimitar up and jerked it towards the charging guard. It hit the man unconscious.

I took several deep breaths.

"Don't worry", I said to the fallen guards, "you'll soon have plenty of company".

It was then I saw it. The only door to the right of the golden and marble throne, the door to that monster of a lord's chamber. I sat the shield aside, afraid it would be too much of a burden, and would make too much noise.

I went to the door that led to the lord Kerpren chamber. I opened it, thinking I was ready for anything…

How vary wrong I was.

* * *

AN- I hope you liked this chapter.The next chapter shouldn't be that far away.Now to thank my awesome readers 


	6. The Offer

**5**

**THE OFFER**

THE LORDS CHAMBER WASFILLED WITHSHADOW, YET IT WAS PIERCED BY SMALLBEAMS OFMOONLIGHT. Couches made of the finest silks and linens sat in the chamber, tapestries hung on the limestone walls, and leopard skins lay under the furniture. A large deep red and gold rug sat on the marble floor.

And there before me was lord Kerpren's bed of blue linen and resin. I couldn't see his face but the figure in the bed was, most defiantly, a man.

I, furtively, crept to the side of the lord's bed. My scimitar raised high.

I knew at that moment I was born for the kill.

I had labored so hard for this moment.

Now it was finally my time to end it.

I took a deep breath, ready to pass my test. I then reached out and grasped the linen blankets that covered the monster lord's face, and yanked them back.

What I saw made me gasp and step back in surprise.

"The lord Kerpren of Khemet…dead?" I said astonished.

It was the lord all right. The body's golden jewelry could only belong to a lord. There was a sickening smell. What had happened to the lord was ghastly. There was dried blood, and the body was mangled in such a way that would send waves of nausea to the strongest stomach. But that wasn't the worst of it. The body, it looked frighteningly like…

" Something has…_eaten_ him".

Suddenly, there was adeep rumbling. I swung around. Parts of the ceiling crumbled to the marble floor. Then there was a loud **_WHAM!_**

A beast fell down from a hole in the ceiling. The massive beast had the body of a man but the black fur and head of a jackal. It's pectoral of black iron and blood rubies, and in the beast's hands was a gigantic double blade tipped spear. Could it be…? It was.

The foul, eternally damned, demon of Anubis.

The demon pulled back his hand, as he did flames blossomed from his black-and-red clawed fingertips. He jerked his hand forward and flames shot out of his fingers. I dodged out of the way as flames came speeding at me. The flames hit the sandstone wall and went out as soon as it hit.

It was then the beast let out a roar. A blood curdling, glass shattering roar. Parts of the ceiling broke loose started to fall.

_Damn it! _

I dodged this way and that. Barely missing falling debris. The rumbling stopped. I looked over to see the beast was pulling his hand, flames started to form from his hands.

Desperate, I snatched up a piece of debris and threw it at the beast with all my might.

To my surprise, the beast crumbled to the floor. Seeing this as my only chance, I ran at the beast and started slashing, making it's blood ooze out it's cuts.

Before I could dodge it, the beast swung his arm back. The hit sent me flying to the other side of the chamber.As I hit the floora stabbing pain filled my back, but I couldn't stay there for long. I had to roll to the side to avoid another fireball the demon had sent.

I grabbed another, bigger, piece of debris and threw it at the Anubis demon. As soon as the cursed beast fell to the floor, I went at the beast, slashing and stabbing mercilessly.

The beast swatting at me as if I was an insect. I hit the wall with a loud **_SMACK!_**

Now I felt that internal firey rage, burn with a vengence.

The beast threw his head back and roared. I dodged this way and that so I would not be struck by falling bits of celing.

When the roaring and rumbling stopped I picked up a great piece and threw it with all the strength I could muster.

That sent the beast to his knees.

I went at him slicing and slashing. The beast's black blood seeped from it many cuts. I then lunged forward, stabbing the demon in the chest. I yanked out the blade quickly and stepped back.

The beast let out one last blood-chilling yowl, and then disintegrated until he was nothing more than sand and the dust of diamonds.

Then, suddenly,a chilling laugh rang out.

"Congratulations Akkadian," said a sere voice.

I swung around, scimitar at the ready.

"Who's there?" I called to the darkness, unsure. "What is the meaning of this?"

There was a sudden flash of light and color beside the late lord of Khemet's bed.

Then a man, who was clapping, appeared. He looked around forty but instinct told me he must have been older then that. This man had silvery gray hair, mirthless dark eyes, and sand-tan skin. He wore a golden headdress, a green-gray cuirass made out of some sort of scaled skin, a blood red belt, and night black breeches and boots.

I had only no other word for him but one.

_Sorcerer._

"My name is Magus," said the sorcerer, who stopped clapping. "I've been searching for a man of you talent to assist me. I'm conducting an experiment. I need a man with strength such as yours _if _my work is to be successful".

"Searching for..?" I said. It was then I realized something that was so vile, so disturbing that I, at first, couldn't believe it myself. But now it made prefect sense.

"_You set this up!_" I said with astonishment and disgust. "You brought that beast that killed the lord of Khemet! You _killed_ the concubine to _lure me_ here!"

"The concubine is of no importance, my friend," Magus said as if is he was brushing off an insect. "_Join me_, Akkadian!"

I did not hesitate to answer him.

"Whatever your planning is **_evil_**, Sorcerer!" I said defiantly, disgusted that he had even _thought_ I would join his forces. "I want **_no part_** in such deeds!"

For a short moment, a strange look flickered onto Magus' face. However, it quickly disappeared a soon as I noticed it.

"How disappointing," Magus said in a crusty tone, his face mirrored by his words. "And after all my preparations…"

He shook his head. Then lurched foreword with his hands. There was a blinding flash. The last thing I heard was Magus saying something that, at the time, didn't make sense: "Take him away to my dungeons! "

My vision turned, at first, a blinding white, and then aeverything wentblack.

* * *

AN- Hey guys! Just thought that I'd give you chapter 5 early as a Hoilday Present. 

I don't know when I'll have time to update it since it looks like I have a booked hoilday. But I will continue Mathayus' story. I promise you.


	7. The Underground Prision

**6**

**UNDERGROUND PRISON**

MY HEAD WAS RACKED WITH PAIN. I groaned, and rubbed my temple. I then looked around. The only light came from the window in the crude, moldy door, and two torches on either wall.

By the looks of the dirt and stone walls, I was in an underground prison. The floor of the cell was covered with moldy hay.The murkysmell of mold and mildew was extremely strong.

Two molded and dirt covered skeletons where chained to the wall. Between them sat an old, extremely wrinkled man. His small beard was white and the hair on his head was thinning, he was almost bald. He wore, what looked like, a warrior's array of clothing that made him looked even more wrinkled and smaller then he probably was.

"Ah!" said the old man in a soft voice. "So, you wake at last."

At first I could not remember why or how I got there. Nor did I know this stranger. My first instinct was to act unkind mostlydurto the painful pounding in my head.

"Who, _the hell_, are _you?_" I snapped.

The old man shook his head as if I had insulted him.

"You are Akkadian," he said, wisely. "But you've lost your manners when speaking to your elders".

Well, he was right. Snapping at him like that _was_ rather rude. I instantly felt guilt rush through me.

"Look," I said in a more softer, more apologetic tone than before. "I apologize for my rudeness. I am Mathayus."

The old man nodded and said, "Your apology is accepted. And I am Hammet an old man imprisoned here for almost as long as he can remember."

The old man, Hammet, cocked an eyebrow at me while I rubbed my still aching temple.

"I presume you musthave ran across my old rival, Magus", Hammet in a tone full of understanding.

"Your rival…? Magus…? I don't recall…" I said confused at first.

Then the aching from my head subsided, and then the memories of my test, and what really happened, came flooding back to me.

"Yes, I remember," I said, remembering well now. "The bastard set a trap for me."

"_Hmm…_ " Hammet said, as if he was remembering as well. "He did the same to me long ago. We where colleges, almost the best of friends, he and I."

He paused as he remembered a time long ago, "But when I refused to follow him in his dark ways and vowed to stop him from harming innocent people the bastard betrayed me and locked me here out of his way".

He then stopped and held out his wrinkled arm.

"As you can see, I now have grown old while he is still young", he said.

"But how is it even possible?" I asked both amazed and inquisitive.

"He is allied with the forces of darkness, the dark gods of the Netherworld, My Akkadian friend," Hammet said. "He does their bidding and they reward him with youth and dark powers. While, his prisoners, the likes of us, rot and wither in his dungeons".

"Well," I said in a light, business like tone, getting up. "I'm not rotting here until I'm as old as you old man, if you see my dilemma."

I went to the locked door and inspected it closely. It was moldy.Somoldy it barely stood on it's hinges.

"I suppose they don't replace their doors down here, do they?" I asked Hammet.

"No, why?"

I got in to a fighting stance and gave the door a swift, strong kick that knocked the door right off it's placement.

"That's why," I said as the door fell the dirt ground, breaking instantly.

I turned to see an astonished Hammet, who got to his feet.

"Are you coming?" I asked, amused at the look at his face.

-

I glanced around the cavern. It seemed as if there was no one there. For the moment.

"Come on," I whispered to Hammet.

We glanced around. This chamber was no better then the dank and dark prison cell. A few human skeletons hung from the chains attached to the ceiling.

"And were do you think _your_ going?" said a cold voice. I turned to see a man wearing a sand colored tunic and turban, with an iron knuckle gauntlet.

_Oh great_, I thought to myself, _prison guards_.

"What does it look like you stupid bastard? We're leaving," I said frankly.

His sarcasm instantly turned to anger.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" he yelled in a threatening tone, running at me.

"Well, you soon won't have anything to say soon! Dead Men don't talk!" I yelled back, running at him.

The guard lunged with a punch. I dodged and pressed two points on his arm before he could pull it back. Hitting the two points made his arm go completely limp. I then grabbed hold of his turbaned head and knee kicked him sharply in the forehead, knocking him out.

"Not bad," Hammet said, impressed.

I went to him and yanked off the gauntlet.

"I'll take this, thank you," I said to the guard putting theiron knuckleon to my own arm.

I then glanced up to see another crude prison door. Inquisitive, I went to it's window and peered in.

There where three men, warriors by the looks of their clothes, sat in the cell. All three of them looked as grey, asshabby, andas beaten as Hammet looked when I first saw him.

I felt the, now, unmistakable feeling of pity. They looked as if they had sons my age daughters they never got to say good-bye to, and wives they missed dearly. I felt compelled to help them.

"Mathayus, what are you waiting for?" Hammet said.

"We have to help them," I said with a determined.

"What?" Hammet said. "Why?"

"Why?" I said.

_What the hell?_

"What do you mean why?" I said. Cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Akkadian, Magus put them in his dungeons for a _reason_ you know", Hammet said as if he thought I was losing my sanity. "They could be backstabbing bastards for all you know. What if they-"

"Hammet," I said cutting him off. "What if they have family just as me and you do".

"No", Hammet said firmly. I could tell I touched a nerve. "Your wrong, Akkadian. I don't have a family. Not any more. Magus killed them years ago".

"Sorry," I apologized.

Hammet nodded and stared at the ground as if he found the dirt fascinating.

"But then you know why we _must_ free them", I said stubbornly.

Hammet groaned, "Fine, damn it Akkadian. But if they stab us in the back while we're dying expect me to say 'I told you so'."

"Fair enough," I agreed. "But I doubt you'll utter those words".

"We'll see," Hammet muttered under his breath.

I chose to ignore that last comment. Stepping back, I kicked the door open. The door splintered and fell off its hinges.

The three menlooked up with apprehension and fear on their faces and in their eyes.

"Hello", I said as if I was making a friendly visit. "Me and this old man here-" I motioned to Hammet-"are escaping this hell-hole. I thought it would be polite if I asked you three to join us".

All three of them looked to each other as if they couldn't believe it.

"Your-your joking aren't you?" said one, as if he couldn't comprehend my words.

"Trust me, if I was joking it would be a hell of a lot more funnier then that," I said motioning for them to leave their hellish cell.

-

We ran through the next few tunnels with out any event. It was when we found ourselves at a place in the tunnel where it forked into two different tunnels that we ran into a problem.

"Now where Akkadian?" asked one of the men. I could feel my hopes fall.

"I wishI knew. I was unconscious when I was brought here." I said my hopes falling.

"Well where do we go now?" asked another.

"Uh… Mathayus," Hammet said suddenly poking me in the shoulder.

"Not now", I said over my shoulder to Hammet. I turned to my fellow warriors and said, "Does anyone have any ideas?"

"Not one", said another warrior.

"Mathayus," Hammet said more urgently, jabbing his finger painfully into a pressure point on the back of my neck.

"_What?_" I said. A little angry that the old manwas bothering me at a time like this.

"Did you see that?" Hammet said, not catching my irritation, pointing. The other warriors and I looked at what he was pointing at.

There elevated on a filigree golden pedestal and made of polished silver was a mirror. Shafts of light seemed ring around it. It seemed to be made for a place.

"What the hell?" breathed one of the warriors.

"Yes, That's what I was thinking," Hammet said

"But why, of all the places in the land of the living, did Magus put a mirror here?" I asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Maybe he's gone insane by some sort of madness," suggested one of the three warriors.

"I doubt it," Hammet said, "he may be unhinged by power but I'm sure he has _some_ reason for this".

"Wait. Wait a minute! I _got it_! It's _brilliant_!" said one of the warriors, smiling, he ran to the mirror as if it was a long lost friend or brother.

"What is he so damn happy about?" I asked one of the other warriors.

"Well, he has been locked in that cell for awhile…" said one of the warriors, scratching his scalp.

"No, listen to the inscription carved into the back of mirror," he said. "It says:

_Light into Darkness_

_Darkness into Light_

_Darkness may blind you_

_But keep in mind_

_Through it Light shall always shine bright_

_Light into Darkness _

_Darkness into Light_".

Silence met this reading. All of the other warriors (myself included) didn't know what to make of this. We all looked at each other, apparently thinking the same thing. Meanwhile, the warrior by the mirror looked at us waiting for one of us to make a statement.

"Um, for_ how long_", I asked the other warrior who had spoken before the reading of the inscription, "was he locked in that cell?"

"Don't you get it?" said the warrior by the mirror, he tried to shift the mirror the pedestal but, I could tell from his shabbiness, he had lost his strength many years ago. "It's a clue for what the mirror's use is!"

"Hang on," I said, suddenly it made sense.

"What is it?" Hammet asked.

"I just thought of something".

I went to the mirror, beside the warrior. I looked to the warrior, silently asking. He nodded, confirming my question. He stepped away from the mirror. I went to the pedestal and grabbed a hold of it pushing it into the light. Then I grabbed a hold of the mirror itself. At first the mirror wouldn't budge and then … There was a scraping sound as I pushed and pulled the mirror and it's reflected beam of light to the now split tunnels.

"Akkadian?" said Hammet, "do you mind telling us what…?"

Hammet may of finished his sentence but I didn't listen. The beam of light that I was directing hit the tunnel on the right…

…_and somehow the beam was reflected off the wall as if there was and invisible mirror there!_

"What? How…?" stuttered one of the warriors.

"This prison must be a labyrinth of tunnels and dead ends", said the warrior who had helped me with the mirror, "so, if in doubt, the prison guards could go to the mirror and reflect the light beams off the mirror and they would find a way out".

"Not only that but it would be too clever for the average prisoner", I added.

"You got that right", said Hammet.

"Come on lets get out of here!"

-

We spent most of the next few moments following the light reflected off (I surmised since Magus was a sorcerer)bewitched mirrors. As we ran I felt a ray of hope.

The light beam led us to a great chamber. In it's center was a great ash gray rock, three times my height. On it was another silver-and-gold mirror, along with…

"Get down!" Yelled one of the warriors with us.

We all dived to the floor as the archer on the rock let several arrows fly. All of the projectiles hit the ground behind us.

I leapt up yelling, "I'll take care of this!"

Quickly, I climbed up the rock to the archer.

"Hi," I said knocking the arrow he hadout of his hand.

I drew back my gauntleted fist a punched the archer in the jaw. He fell to the floor as if sleep had suddenly overtook him.

"Akkadian!" yelled a voice.

I turned to see the four other warriors (Hammet included) scrambling up the rock, fear was written on their faces.

"What-?"

It was then I saw the reason why these men looked terrified. Two extremely ugly, extremely fat, dirt caked, bald, and vary smelly prison guards had been chasing the men with thick wooden clubs. I yanked Hammet up by his cuirass and helped another one of the warriors up. I went to the unconscious archer and pulled out a much needed bronze sword from his sheathe.

I leapt off the stone, sword in hand. On of the guards roared swinging his club threateningly.

"Whoa ugly!" I yelled as he ran at me.

He swung his thick club at my head I dodged and, before he could swing again, I gave him the back of my fist. He stumbled back a little. Then as fast as I could I lunged forward stabbing him in the stomach.

"ARGH!"

I swung around to face the other prison guard that, in my opinion, looked even uglier than the first if that was possible.

The guard ran at me. I swiftly kicked him between the legs. To my surprise he didn't even stumble.

"Oh great".

I swung the sword at his side, he suddenly grabbed a hold of my wrist of the hand that had the bronze sword. He raised his thick club high.

_Die well,_ I thought as he raised the club.

I stood ready to meet my gruesome end. Suddenly there was a faint _whoosh_ as a arrow came flying out of nowhere.

The arrow hit the fat guard in the side of his head. His grip was suddenly loose and his club tumbled out of his hand. He hit the ground with a **_THUMP!_**

I looked up to see one of the warriors had the archer's bow in his hand. I nodded to him my thanks. I glanced to see that once again the tunnel split into two.

"Where to now?" I called to them.

Hammet seemed to have some trouble at first moving the mirror at first but he eventually managed to move the mirror. The beam of light (That came from a shaft in the high ceiling) reflected off the mirror on to the tunnel to the left in hit another unseen mirror and reflected once again.

"That way", Hammet said pointing to the tunnel to left.

-

We followed the beam of light to another great chamber. At least four steaming geysers rose out of the earth like steaming mountains. In between them was a puddle of water. The top half of skeletons hug from the chains that came from the ceiling hung over the geysers.

We had made it half-way across the chamber when there was a soft _hiss_ that made us stop. We all looked to the pool to see several deadly black cobras rear up, hissing threateningly.

"I hate snakes", Hammet said shaking his head in disgust.

"Damn," said a warrior behind me, "have you seen cobras act like that?"

"Magus must have them under an enchantment," answered another.

"That's a comforting thought," I said sardonically.

As soon as I spoke more cobras reared their heads. Until it looked more like a pit of deadly cobras then a pool of water.

"I don't know about you guys but I really think we should MOVE!" yelled one of the warriors.

We ran across the room to a wooden door.

"It's locked!" Yelled Hammet after he had tried to pull the door open.

I swung around the many cobras where starting to get closer.

I turned to see all of the other warriors where looking at me like I had a plan to get us out of here. I thought quickly.

"BREAKDOWN THE DOOR!" I yelled to them, "I'LL HOLD THEM OFF!"

I swung around and unsheathed my bronze sword. I sliced the first cobra that came across my path, then another then another.

Taking a quick glance behind me I saw that the older warriors where having some trouble breaking down the door.

"Are you done yet!" I yelled jumping back to avoid a cobra bite.

"We're working on it!" Hammet yelled back.

"WELL HURRY!" I yelled back over my shoulder, "I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I CAN HOLD THESE DAMNED THINGS OFF!"

I sliced through another to see more appear from the pool.

_Oh Damn!_

I was taking a deep breath to prepare myself for my possible end when there was a loud **_BAM!_**

"Akkadian! Come ON!" Yelled one of the warriors.

I turned around to see that they had some how managed to break open the locked door. Not hesitating, I ran to the now opened door, cobras swiping at my ankles and heels. I jumped threw the door and as soon as I did the older warriors slammed the door shut behind me.

"No wonder why you don't like snakes," I said to Hammet as I sheathed my sword.

-

It wasn't before long while we where following the reflected light that we found ourselves before a door.

We all looked at each other like we where almost afraid to open the door and see what was on the other side. Taking a deep breath I clasped the rusty handle and pulled the door open.

This chamber was as massive as the one with the cobras had been. A wooden winding staircase was built next to the walls of the chamber.

But the only problem with this wasn't the winding staircase, it was the fact that there must have been seven archers on it.

As soon as they saw us they pelted us with arrows. I pushed the others back as the arrows fell. I ran, dodging arrows as I made my way to a simple wooden chest that was just across the door, hoping that there was something of use in that it.

I pulled out a thick broad sword and a metal shield.

I ran up the spiraling staircase punching the first archer (who was scrambling for an arrow) in the jaw with my iron knuckled hand. I ran up a few more stairs when I found another archer before me. He had his bow and arrow ready when I crescent kicked it out of his hands. The now useless bow and arrow fell off the staircase onto the ground. I raised my broad sword and sent it's handle crashing down onto the back of his skull. I thundered up the stairs to face another. He sent an arrow at me suddenly. I blocked it with my shield. Before he could even reach back for another arrow I lashed out and kicked him in the ribs. When he leaned to the side in pain I grabbed his head and slammed it hard into the wall.

The next three archers where dealt with in the same fashion as the ones before. It was when I was before the seventh archer who had not one arrow notched but _three_ and had sent them speeding at me as soon as I was in his sight did I discover my reflexes. I dodged the arrows (that just barely missed my face) and went running at the archer, brandishing my broad sword. The archer, meanwhile, threw aside his bow and took up a sliver glinting scimitar.

The archer swung his sword at my side. I blocked with my shield and, with my sword sliced his shoulder (mostly because I was a little slow with the heavy broad sword). As he winced in pain I gave him a right hook that set him flipping backwards. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

_Well,_ I thought to myself as I glanced down the stairs that had unconscious archers laying there as if in a deep sleep, _it looks like my training was well worth it._

"Akkadian! You alright?" called one of the elderly warriors.

"I'm fine," I called back, "it's safe now".

I grabbed the unconscious man's bag putting his bow and scimitar in it. Knowing that me and the others may have need of it.

"Grave robbing are we?"asked a liltingvoice behind me I turned around to see the warriors and Hammet who was leaning on a wooden staff.

"Well, ifpreparing for the worst counts as grave robbing," I replied, not really careing.

One of them grinned and said, "I doubt it".

I grinned back and glanced to see another door. My face fell. Not another one.

"I'll get this one this time," said one of the warriors seeing my expression.

He went to the door a pulled it open.

We all looked at him unsure.

He turned to us and nodded that it was safe and we followed him in.

-

The door led us to the area above the snake pit chamber. A mirror glinted at the end of bridge made of wood was made along the stone wall. Parts of the molded bridge had broke away making it, well, dangerous to cross.

"First snakes now _this_," said a warrior behind me.

I looked closely at the bridge. It looked like it could support our weight but, only just.

"I think we can make it across," I said surely.

"You sound so sure," Hammet remarked.

"I am, at least I hope so. We should go one at a time", I said.

The others nodded their agreement.

"I'll go first".

So, very reluctantly, I stepped onto the bridge. The boards creaked in protest, but accepted my weight. Every step I took made the _creak_ing even louder. I turned to see the warriors waiting on bated breath, wincing every time a board shuddered below me. I tried not to think of the drop that awaited me if the boards below me should break. If the fall didn't kill me the snakes would.

After what seemed like forever, I finally made it to the end of the bridge. I nodded and, very slowly, the other warriors followed my lead across the bridge.

Soon all of the warriors, besides Hammet, had made it across.

"Are you coming or what?" I called.

The other warriors where behind me, pushing the mirror (the tunnel had split in two again) to see where we should where we would go next.

Hammet groaned and slowly started to walk across the bridge.

He was about half way when suddenly below him was a sickening **_CRACK!_** It as if time slowed as the boards broke beneath Hammet.

As the warriors yelled I ran and dived after him. In the air I had the mind to do two things. I grabbed Hammet's wrist with my left hand, with my right I unsheathed my scimitar and stabbed it into the wooden bridge.

Using all the strength I could muster I my right arm, I pulled myself up. I pulled Hammet out of the newly made hole in the bridge saying, "If there ever_is_ a next time watch out for that one step".

The rest of the way we both treaded cautiously on the bridge. We arrived at the end of it as soon as one of the warriors had managed to move the reflected light beam the was reflected from an enchanted mirror on the left tunnel.

-

As we followed the light beam Hammet thanked me for saving him, countless times.

"Hey, don't mention it alright", I said simply to him as we took another turn.

Suddenly the beam of light led us to another chamber. In this one was a cavern so deep we could not see it's dark bottom. The only thing there to keep a man from falling into Anubis's realm was the shards of earth that acted like stepping stones, each where several paces across. Above where several mirrors that reflected the beam of light around a small bend.

And on a few of these earth shards where archers.

_Damn it, not again, _I thought.

"Well, this just keeps getting better and better", I said sarcastically.

The other warriors got down as they sent arrows at us. Using my shield, I blocked their arrows and ran at them. As soon as I jumped at the first archer I got down and gave him sweep kick. He fell back, screaming, into the dark unknown. As soon as I got up I dodged an arrow that went speeding over my head. I looked at that archer that had sent it.

_Vary. **Bad**. Idea._ I thought angrily to myself.

I jumped onto the shard of earth he was on and before he could notch another arrow I had lunged with a punch that knock him unconscious. I looked over to see that not only was there an archer waiting for me but two fat, ugly, disgusting prison guards where there as well.

I quickly grabbed the unconscious guards bow and three of his arrows. I quickly notched all three arrows as soon as the other archer did and aimed. I pulled back the bowstring as far as it would allow and let go.

Each arrow hit it's target dead on. Hitting them all in the chest. The force of my arrows seemed to knock them off their feet. Making them all fall to certain death.

I looked back to the other warriors, all of them looked amazed.

"You never cease to surprise do you, Akkadian?" said one of the warriors in an amused tone.

"No," I said. "And I don't plan to".

I tossed the bow aside. Without arrows I had no use for it.

When we made it passed the last jump we found that the light beam was shining on to a golden door handle in a door made of deep rich wood.

I took a deep breath.

_Well,_ I thought to myself, _here goes everything._

And with that thought I opened the door.


	8. Water Monster

AN- To all my reviewers I will not blame you if you threaten my life after this chapter.

It will only help me to type faster.

* * *

7

**WATER MONSTER**

ONCE I OPENED THE DOOR I WAS ALMOST WAS BLINDED BY THE LIGHT. This chamber was made of ground the first twenty paces and the rest of the chamber was a pit of water. There was a stone bridge that made a circle around the middle of the pit. And there across from us was a wooded platform that led to a door that shined bright with…

"Daylight", I said.

The other warriors looked at each other both surprised and glad that we had, _finally_, made it to the exit.

"What the hell are we standing around here for!" yelled one of the warriors. "Let's GO!"

We all started running to the door out of here. When there was a _splashing _sound and suddenly something rose out of the water and before we could truly see what it was it snapped at me in a flash of fangs and feathers.

I leaped back and as soon as it snapped. The other warriors where also quick to follow my lead.

I leapt up to see a great green serpent-like creature with a crest of white feathers on the back of it's head and two ram-horns on either side of it's head.

"Oh Damn!" I muttered, "a water serpent".

"How did you?"

"It's a long story. Men back off! I'll handle this!" I yelled to the warriors.

I ran at the water serpent unsheathing my scimitar along the way.

"Hey you dirty, smelly scum! OVER HERE!" I yelled.

The serpent lunged at me. I quickly dodged out of the way to see the serpent lunge once again.

"What do you want us to do?" Hammet called.

"STAY BACK UNTIL I TELL YOU OTHERWISE!"

I dodged another blow from the water serpent. Suddenly it started spitting a thick vivid green poison. I ran along the bridge, trying my hardest to not get hit. If I was to be hit with the poison, death would issue almost instantly.

_Come on!_ I thought suddenly, _think!_

What could I do that could distract the beast?

It was then I came up with another of my more reckless ideas.

The serpent lunged, I dodged but not before the scimitar was knocked out of my hand. Seeing this as my only chance I took action.

I jumped onto the back of the serpent's neck. Quickly I grabbed a hold of the water serpent's silky white feathers.

"GO!" I yelled at the warriors. "MOVE NOW!"

The water serpent started to swing its head around rather dangerously. I glanced over to see three of the prisoners run over the bridge.

One of them stopped at the doorway.

"Akkadian!" he called, "I speak for all of us when I say how can we ever thank?"

"WOULD YOU JUST **SHUT UP** AND **GO**!" I yelled, trying to get a better hold.

"I won't forget your kindness and good will, Warrior", he called as he ran through the doorway.

The serpent started to throw its head around even more dangerously. If I didn't come up with another idea there was a vary good possibility that I would get impaled by the water serpents horns or worse…

"MATHAYUS!" yelled a voice.

I managed to see Hammet throw the scimitar to me I reached out. I could feel my fingers close around the handle.

With all the strength I had left I stabbed the back of the serpents head. Dark green blood seeped.

I yanked out the blade. The serpent gave a few screeching mournful cries and suddenly I saw (well I mostly felt) the serpent start to fall onto the bridge. Whenever it was safe enough I jumped off on to the bridge. It was a good thing I did as well, at that moment when the water serpent's dead body hit the bridge a part of it collapsed.

I took a deep breath, suddenly vary tired.

"I am sorry that I disobeyed your order," Hammet said. "But I thought you may need some help".

"Well," I said sheathing the scimitar, "thank you for your compassion".

I turned around to see the doorway. Casually I walked through the doorway too a rocky crag. I breathed in the sweet desert air. Never before had blazing, burning sunlight felt like such a blessing.

"Ah!" Hammet said walking into the light right next to me. "It's too bright!"

"Well," I said, putting my hands on my hips and nodding my head towards the door that led to the underground prison, "you could always go back underground old man".

"After all those years of hell and now being able to get out," Hammet said, looking at me like I was insane, "I'd rather not".

I grinned and looked onto the horizon, looking for a familiar landmark. It was at that moment I noticed something vary strange.

A black cloud, it looked like, seemed to waft from one of the distant valleys.

"What's that?" I said, shading my eyes.

"That looks like… smoke", Hammet said frankly, answering my question. He too was looking at that valley.

"That's strange isn't it?" I asked

Hammet nodded.

It was then I saw a vary familiar river that seemed to snake it's way around those mountains. In fact, those mountains seemed familiar as well…

Wait…Those mountains… the river… that valley.

I suddenly felt my insides shaking. My heart was pounding harder in my chest and my breath was coming in shallow gasps as if I had run a great distance.

"N-no!" I said with a horrifying realization at this. "It-it can't be!"

"Wait, Akkadian isn't that…?" Hammet stopped at the look on my face.

I stepped back as if I had received a terrible blow. I guess you could say that, in a way, I had.

"Yes", I said hoarsely, answering Hammet's unfinished question. "That means…"

I could not find it inside myself to finish my sentence.

"It means, great gods," Hammet said, shocked at the brutality of what was unfolding before us. "Magus' vengeance has come down upon your people".

Emotions of all kind came crashing down inside me. Emotions like pain, insanity, and guilt.

Suddenly I found myself running down the rocky crag.

"Where are you going!" Hammet called after me.

"I MUST HELP THEM!" I called back to him.

Nevertheless, as I ran I knew this:

I could try to help them.

But I later discovered I was too late, in more ways then one.


	9. Pangs of Grief

**8**

**PANGS OF GRIEF**

I, FINALLY, REACHED AKKAD, MY HOME, LATER THAT NIGHT. I did not need moonlight to guide me to what was left (besides the moon was hidden by smoke) the still burning, smoking dwellings brought me terribly enough light to see the damage that had beendone.

Men, women, and small children lay cold and dead. They where slaughtered like livestock. Their blood stained the ground. They had no warning of what was to become of them. Not until it was too late. And because of that they were nowdead.

The smell of blood, burninghomes and flesh brought a wave of despair inside me.

I could not bear to look at the bodies of theyoung ones for so long, without feeling like something was slowly killing me inside. I could feel my burden of guilt increase even more then I thought possible.

Thanks to me, they were all dead.

I had caused this massacre.

As I looked around the clearing, feeling these emotions and thinking these thoughts, I could hear a very weak voice, almost a whisper, call my name.

"Ma-Mathayus".

I swung around.

"Karatas!"

I ran to my cousin's, my little brother's, side.

Karatas was wearing the same clothes that I had last saw him in. I was painfully aware of the several arrow shafts that had found purchase in his chest. His pain was written on his young face.

"Mathayus, Lantana she's…" he spoke with great difficulty.

"Karatas calm yourself", I said putting my hand on his shoulder.

"No she's-she's dead" Karatas said sadly. "They… they killed her."

"No..."

A horrible pain grazed my body. I had lost someone who had become my little sister. I could see pain and sadness in Karatas dark eyes. He had loved her, and deeply as well.

"Mathayus… before I die I-I want to… thank you."

"Karatas don't you talk like that", I said gnashing my teeth together. It was all I could do to keep from screaming out my pain.

He was dying. And there was nothing I could do to save him.

"Y-you have become a brother to me, as has Jesup and Rama."

"Karatas don't. You'll- you'll be…"

But I could not finish.

"Mathayus… go to- go to… the… king".

Suddenly his dark eyes glazed over.

I gritted my teeth so hard that it hurt. The pain that I had been trained to bare was nothing compared to the pain that was inside. He was so young, and yet he was gone, like the rest of them. I so wanted to stay by his side,but I knew Ihad to go on. It's what Karatas would of wanted.

"Good-bye, brother", I said taking a shaky breath.

And vary reluctantly I got up and ran to the path to see the king.

---

I ran through several clearings when I suddenly heard voices around the corner of another flaming home.

_Survivors?_ I dared to hope.

I turned around the corner to see several soldiers all of them where observing a cache of jewels, gold, and beautiful weapons that they, no doubt about it, had stolen from the dead bodies of my people. They eyes glinted in dark delight, their bronze swords gleamed with the blood of my tribe, my people.

A murderous rage that I had never known coursed through my blood, through my very core. A fire burned inside my veins.

_Damn them! **Damn them all!**_

I wanted them all **_dead._**

I wanted them all to **_pay_** for what they had done.

"YOU _BASTARDS_!" I found my self yelling in a dangerous voice that I had never used before. "YOU WILL **PAY** FOR THIS!"

At my voice, they swung around.

"Damn it, I thought we killed them all," said one of the soldiers.

"It appers we haven't justyet," replied another. "KILL HIM!"

I unsheathed my scimitar.Hungry forthis fight.

The first foolish soldier ran at me swinging his fist. I blocked his punch easily and stabbed him in his chest.

I swung around to clash swords with another soldier, I kicked him as hard as I could in the stomach.

"Ooff!" he said as he slumped over in pain.

It was during that moment that he was slumped over I sent my scimitar crashing down upon him. I grabbed a hold of the fallen soldier's bronze sword.

Another stupid bastard ran at me, swinging his bronze sword. I ran forward to meet him. Brandishing both of my weapons. He swung his sword at my neck as fast as he could. But I was faster. I blocked his blow by hitting his bronze sword with my own. At the same time I lunged forward with my scimitar. The blade slidsmoothly into his chest, into his heart.

_One down,_ I thought as I yanked the blade out of him, _two to go_.

The two soldiers ran at me. Both swinging their swords at my sides. Iblocked their swords with my own. Steel met steel with a loud, **_CLANG! _**I kicked the one on the right in the stomach and went at the other spinning my swords at a dizzying speed. The solider stood unsure of what I would do, distracted. It was then I lunged as quick as I could, plunging both blades into his chest.

I turned to face the last one. The last solider looked around. He had to of been my age. He looked at his fallen comrades, unnerved by the fact that blood was spilling out of them like broken wineskins.

He looked at me plainly terrified.

"You're no Akkadian! You're-YOU'RE A DEAMON!" He yelled.

In spite of my self, I laughed.

"That I may be!" I yelled. "Now leave or you'll sufferthe Akkadian'sWrath as well!

The solider ran dropping his bloodied sword. Running as if the deamons of hell where behind him.

_Good,_ I thought. _That leaves on less bastard to worry about._

It was then I heard a slight shuffle behind me. I swung around, swords at the ready. Then I saw who it was.

"Rama!" I gasped.

There before me, laying in the sand, was my brother.

I ran to his side.It didn't take long to seen how bruised and bloodied Rama was. There was a line of deep redblood across his rightcheekbone, and a deep gash on his leg. It was a wonder he could walk at all into this clearing.

I opened my mouth to speak when Rama spoke instead.

"I'm alright Mathayus," He said.

I eyed his wounds.

"You don't _look_ alright, brother," I insisted.

Rama gave me a look that would of made anyother man back away in fear of the worst.

"Save your _pity_, Little Brother," Rama said annoyed.

If this situation hadn't of been so depressing I would of smiled. If Rama was acting like thisthenI knewhe would be fine.

"Have you seen Karatas?" He asked suddenly.

At once I felt my throat tighten at the name of the little brother I never had.I lowered my head finding that Icouldn't say the words. But I didn't have to. My face told Rama what had happened.

"Great Gods," he breathed. "No."

I nodded. Rama looked like he had been punched in the face. For breif moment, we where silent when Karatas' last words echoed faintly in my mind. _Mathayus… go to- go to… the… king_

"Where's King Urmhet?" I asked urgently.

"He's with Jesup. Their at what's left of the palace," Rama said.

He took a deep breath before he said, "Go to them Mathayus. You're the last of us who can help him."

"The last…" I repeated.

But, that meant that-.

"GO!" Rama yelled. "Protect the King!"

I nodded. I handed my bronze sword to him.

"Take this, you may need it," I ordered.

He nodded and took it from his hands.

I got up.

"I'll be back with help," I told him.

And quickly Isprinted out of the clearing.

---

I ran up the hill that I had just climbed no more than a day before. It was then I beheld the palace.

It was like one of the Demon of Anubis's heavy blows to the gut.

The palace was in shambles, the roof was, somehow, completely torn away. The door was in flames, and the walls where only charred remains of what this place had once been.

"No," I breathed asmy way of life was in flame before my eyes.

I ran to the door, just as a part of the place collapsed, blocking the burning door and my entrance.

I had to get in there, Jesup and My King may need me. That entrance may have been blocked but luckily not all hope was lost. There was another way into the place.

I ran to the far right corner, toa roughclay brick wall that protected the place garden.That would have to do. Isheathing my scimitar, andstarted to climb up.


	10. The Blood Oath

**9**

**THE BLOOD OATH**

WHEN I WAS A SAFE ENOUGH DISTANCE FROM THE GROUND I LEPT DOWN OFF THE WALL. I surveyed the, once, glorious gardens of the palace. The flowers where only ashes, the fountains, crumbled and completely destroyed. Smoke wafted from the ruins.

I looked down the charred pathway to a door way into the place. I took off at it at a run.

I must have been halfway when I heard this loud **_CAW!_** I had just enough time to jump down as something swooped down from above, just missing my back. As soon as it's shadow, illuminated by moonlight, passed over me I looked up.

_What the-?_ Was my first thought when I saw it.

Whatever attacked me had the dark brown feathers over it's body, wings, talons, and head of a falcon, but the body of a man. It wore a golden pectoral, and a golden belt over a loincloth. In each of the hybrid's hands was a curved Flame Tongue.

I pulled out my curved scimitar, only to feel a line of fire down my back, as I was pushed to the stone pathway. I winced as I got to my feet. It was then I saw that there was not one of these falcon creatures, but _two_ of them. Both had two swords to my one scimitar.

_Well this just keeps getting better, doesn't it?_ I thought sarcastically to myself.

Suddenly, Both falcons dived after me, I jumped to the side dodging the blow from the four different swords . Both rose into the air and circled. Eyeing me like I was a mouse to a bird of prey (I suppose in a way I was). This time when they attacked whenI was ready.

I waited for them to dive before I jumped out of the way, and as soon as the Falcon Creatures passed me I jumped on to the back of one.

Well, it was as dangerous as when I jumped on to the back of the Water Serpent, perhaps worse.

The falcon shook me dangerously from side to side as I held on with one hand and stabbed mercilessly with my scimitar in my other hand, it's blood staining my blade. The falcon did a sudden turn and started to dive for the stone wall.

I waited for the right moment, then I leapt off the Falcon Creature's back. I, amazingly, landed on my feet as the Falcon Creature landed against the stone wall of the garden's with a loud **_WHAM!_**

I almost winced, if it wasn't for the fact I was worried about other matters.

Suddenly, I felt a claw like grip around my shoulders, and I found myself being launched into the air with a jolt that made me lose grip on my scimitar.

The other falcon creature had grabbed me with it's talons!

I wrestled with it's iron grip, trying to get myself loose.

I peeled its claw-like talons off my shoulders and found myself falling to the gardens. It was quite a fall, so my legs felt a strain when I landed on my feet, I stumbled a bit but I managed to get my footing.

I looked around franticly for my scimitar, knowing that the falcon would circle back for another round.

It was then I spotted it near a crumbled fountain. And just in time too. The Falcon Creature was diving at me. I did a front roll, picking up my scimitar. I swung around as the falcon was drawing in closer, brandishing it's swords.

As soon as it was close I lunged forward with my scimitar dodging the swords of the creature and stabbing it in the heart. Killing the creature on impact

The creature still pushed me to the ground, since it was still diving in mid-flight. I hit the stone pathway with my head, yes, I do admit I saw stars but I still remained conscious. I watched as the Falcon Creature, my scimitar still in it's heart, went careening into the back wall.

I got up and took several deep breaths as I went to the dead Falcon Creature and yanked my bloodyscimitar from it's heart. I turned to the door in to the palace and went to it at a dead run, quickly I went in.

---

The place was even more depressing then the village.

This place that was once a place of deference was now a enflamed and in ruin.

The roof had been either burned off and ripped away (by, no doubt, the falcon creatures) the urns that decorated the halls where smashed, the tapestries where in shreads.

I ran in to the throne room.

What I saw, haunt's me, even today.

The grand rug was in rags, the pillars cracked and broken, and King Urmhet's majestic throne was seeminglyripped in two.

And in the middle of the room was Jesup, battered, bloodied, and bruised. He was kneeling over King Urmhet. My king was coughing up blood, yet no wounds where visible, at least on the outside. He looked more dead than alive.

I knew these symptoms, I had watched my father die of the same, many years ago.

King Urmhet was bleeding from the inside. No help could come to him now.

"Try to stay awake, my king." Jesup said to him, trying to get our king to hold onto this life as long as he could.

"I know," King Urmhet said weakly. "If I close my eyes it will be my end."

He glanced past a broken column to see me.

"Mathayus!" He gasped.

I ran forward and knelt before my dying king and brother.

"Mathayus!" Jesup gasped.

I turned to him to see relief and maybe some sort of joy in his eyes.

"You're _alive_ my brother!" He said, with suchjoy that I envyed him for a short while.

I looked to my king, images of Karatas and the remains of the village I had once called my home fresh in my mind.

"It may have been better if I where not," I replied softly. Racked with the guilt I had, eating my insides like a parasite.

Jesup's smileing face melted into a frown.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, fearful of the answer.

King Urmhet looked to me, and gave me a look of understanding. In a way I could tell thathe knew wellwhat painI was feeling.

"This is not your doing, Mathayus," He said weakly, trying to reassure me. "We where taken by surprise by troops from Khemet."

I shook my head.

"They where not from Khemet my king," I said. "They where sent by a sorcerer called Magus, who set a trap for us. I was betrayed and captured."

I lowed my head, guilt filling me like the bottom of an hourglass.

"I am sorry I did not get here sooner," I said sadly.

"You would have been slain too," King Urmhet said, he was getting even wearier then I would of thought from our strong king, " if you…had…and now-."

King Urmhet stared coughing a considerable amount of blood.

"King Urmhet!" I suddenly found myself saying in alarm. For this short time I felt like I was a child, and losing my father once again.

King Urmhet put on a brave face and set his hand on my shoulder, something he used to do when I was having trouble with my training when I was younger. Or when he told me the story of father's life as a warrior when I doubted my path as a assassin.

"Now, Mathayus…you…must…avenge…us."

And suddenly, his hand grew as cold and as lifeless as a stone, the wisdom of his eyes fell to blankness.

He was dead. I had lost my true king.

Such a rage and pain filled me that I felt as ifI would go insane. But before it could get far worse I could hear running footsteps behind me.

"Magus is too powerful, Akkadian." Spoke a weary voice.

I got up and turned to see Hammet, painting like an old dog who has ran a long awhile. He must of followed me, running the whole way here.

"Even your skills (although considerable I admit) won't defeat him," Hammet said, trying to catch his breath. "He is allied with the Netherworld."

"There must be away to defeat the bastard, old man!" I snapped at him suddenly, my rage getting the better of me. "Now **_tell_** me what you know!"

"Magus is protected by the Dark Lords of the Netherworld," Hammet explained. "Only their own power can be used against him."

I shook my head.

"I'm no _damned_ sorcerer, old man!" I snapped bitterly.

"I know," Hammet said. "But have you heard the tale of the Sword of Osiris?"

This caught me of guard. For a while my anger melted away.

"Yes," I replied. "Every child knows about the tale of Osiris and his jealous brother Set, and of how Set killed Osiris with his own sword before Set shoved him in that coffin."

Hammet turned his back to me but I could hear him say:

"This sword has amazing powers. It is the only thing to foil Magus's plans and stop him from causing other's harm."

Hammet turned to me and pointed to me.

"You **must** find it if you wish to stop Magus," Hammet said.

"How do I find the Sword?" I asked.

"Across the sea to the North, there is a island. Called Crete by it's people, the Minoans. On this island there is a great city, and in this city there is a tomb where legends say the sword is kept, guarded by strange and powerful beasts." Hammet said.

"Once you find the chamber you shall find the Sword."

I took a deep breath.

"Mathayus?" spoke Jesup.

He looked at me, asking a questionwithout voicing it aloud. I looked to my brother without any hesatation,and nodded. He sighed, but gave me a look of understanding.

I looked to the dead body of my king.

He had been my brother in battle, my friend, and my teacher.

I could not deny him his last wish.

I went to my king and knelt before him. I took out one of my knifes from the sheathe I had around my waist. One hand grabbing a hold of it's pommel. I had my other hand grab the blade. I clasped it hard until I could feel my own blood drip from my hand.

I looked to my king.

"As long as this blood is still in my veins, as long as I still breath," I vowed, my crimson blood dripping to the marble floor. "I shall avenge our people, my king."

* * *

AN- I'm thinking about making another Scorpion King Story. The Scorpion King in the Sorceress' point of view sinceI can relate to her on so many levels (hince my pen name). Also not many read the book_ The Scorpion King: The Novel _by Max Allan Collins. So I'm thinking about writing her story as a mix between on of my Favorite movies and the book. No only that but it sounds like fun. 

Tell me what you think.


	11. The Blind Shaman

**10**

**THE BLIND SHAMAN**

I STAYED WITH JESUP, RAMA, AND HAMMET FOR THREE DAYS. For those three days and nights we buried the remains of our people. And one the last night we finally buried Karatas, and Latana next to each other. We put King Urmhet in the tomb created for the greatest of Akkadian Kings.

It was the hardest thing I have done in my life, burying a part of my family.

As we left the tomb, I decided that I have had enough.

I had to regain back the honor of my once great tribe.

I had to rise above the ashes of the place I had once called home.

It was decided that Iwas to leave for the harbor city the next day.

---

I managed to get one of the surviving steeds. A strong horse with a dark brown hide and a mane of night black.

I placed a saddle on it's back, along with blankets, and the little provisions I had salvaged.

I led the horse down the still ash ridden streets through the place I had grow up in and had called home.

I stopped at a particularly burned home. It's walls where charred pieces of wood and clay, it's door was a pile of ash, it's roof was nothing less then I shambles.

Strange to think that this home was where I had been born, where I had been raised. Where me and my brother's had dreamed of seeing the world and all of it's glory.

This place was my home, or it once was anyway.

And now it was barely recognizable to anyone, even me.

I sighed to myself, walked to the burned hut and went through the door. Looking around, I saw the floor was almost covered completely in ash.

The cots that my family had once slept in where nothing more than charred wood, our blankets where ash, small memoirs that we had that had reminded us of our child hood like our first bows our first wooden swords where noting more than burnt kindling.

Only one thing was recognizable. A chest that had once belonged to my father.

It wasn't the same ebony chest, lined with polished steel that I remembered, it was now charred and ashy gray in color, it's lining looked as if it had been weathered by the fires of hell.

I went to the chest bent down before it and, with at steady hand I went to unlock the lock.

The metal was so badly burned that all I had to do was yank at the lock and it cracked and broke into pieces in my hand.

I lifted the lid to see the cash of throwing knifes my father had crafted years ago.

Each knife was (real surprisingly), in great condition. Each blade wasn't dulled but, instead, probably more sharpened than I could of dreamed, each handle was as fine as the blades, made of the finest dark woods and decorated with the finest gold tipping.

I put several of the knifes in the few sheathes around my belt, and took the rest of the knifes to pack on to my horse.

This was how Jesup found me, packing knifes on to my ride.

"You're leaving now?" He asked, surprised.

I did not answer. I didn't know how to. Instead I just packed the last of the throwing knifes and tightened the saddle.

"I'd thought you'd wait until Rama's wounds had healed, then we could all go together."

I took a deep breath and turned to my war-hardened brother.

"I can't stay here and do nothing while that damned sorcerer is out there probably doing the same thing to other tribes as he's done to ours, Jesup," I told him. "I **have** to stop him, before he kills others."

I turned back to tightening the horses saddle. Once it was good and tight I went up to the horse to climb onto the saddle when Jesup spoke.

"Then you should take this. I managed to save it from the raid and the fire," he said.

I turned to see him pull a scimitar out of his leather sheathe.

This scimitar was different than all the other's I had seen. It's blade seemed to gleam in the harsh desert sun, it's handle was made of the same dark wood as was all of my father's throwing knifes, it's handle was also tipped with the finest gold.

I knew whose scimitar this had originally had been the second my eyes had first laid on it.

"You know whose scimitar this is don't you?" Jesup asked. "It's been awhile since you saw it."

"I do," I replied softly. "It was my father's."

Jesup nodded.

"Before he died he told me to give this to you after your test, when you became an assassin. You disserve it now."

Jesup handed me the blade.

It was strange, but the blade (for the first time that I can remember) wasn't heavy, nor was it too light, it was if it had been made for me and me alone.

I sheathed the scimitar in my leather sheath. Nodded my thanks to Jesup, and went to my steed and climbed onto the saddle.

"Mathayus," Jesup said. "The closest harbor city is miles away. When you get to the harbor, find a man named Seti, tell him you've Jesup's younger brother. He'll be sure to help you, and be careful. "

"I know," I told him.

"No, Mathayus," Jesup said, suddenly stern. "I mean it."

I looked to my older war-hardened brother who, for the first time since I could remember,had fear in his eyes.

"I don't want to bury you as well."

I nodded.

"I **_will_** be back," I told him confidently. "I promise you."

Jesup took a deep breath, then nodded.

He held out his hand.

"Live Free," He spoke.

I took him by the wrist, our arm guards clapping together.

"Die well," I said, completing the farewell.

I shook his hand once and let go of his wrist. And 'yawed' my steed in to the blazingdesert.

---

I traveled for at least four days to reach the harbor city. My supplies was low on the fifth day. But I did not worry since I had traveled this road before and knew that a friendly Nubian village was nearby.

It was when the sun had become a burning demon in the sky, that I beheld the village from a sand dune. It was small compared to Akkad and Khemet made of, at least seventy huts. Each hut was crafted of clay and sticks, their livestock was kept in primitive pens. The locals were all dressed in humble tunics, leather skirts, a few worebattle beads, few had animal hides on their backs and battle scars on their cheeks.

When I rode in to the village, I was stared at by many. Women and children stopped what they were doing to stare. It was as if they had never had seen an Akkadian before. But I also noticed something.

How few the people seemed to be here. There had to be at least seventy huts, so why did it seem that there was at least twenty locals?

I had rode my steed to the small square when a group of men in loin cloths and battle beads with spears stepped into my way, their faces were hardened, as if ready for battle. One man was wearing a cuirass and breeches of leather and a cape of lion skin. Upon his brow was a braided leather cording. In his hand was a long, fine spear. He stepped foreword, his eyes unblinking as he surveyed me.

"I am the Chief of this village," He said, his head high, his voice carrying authority.

I took a deep breath. I hadn't been in this village for a few seconds and already I was running into trouble.

"Are you an Akkadian?" He asked suddenly.

This question caught me off guard.

"Yes," I replied, raising an eye brow. "I'm here to get supplies on my quest."

_Why did they want to know if I was an Akkadian?_

The other warriors suddenly raised their spears in a sign of peace. I noticed that their, faces relaxed.

"What is the meaning of this?" I asked.

"Our shaman prophesied that you would come on your way in your quest," The Village Chief spoke.

I had to raise an eyebrow at that.

"Come again?" I asked.

The Village Chief seemed to of not heard me.

"The Blind Shaman wishes that you visit his hut, Akkadian," The Village Chief spoke. "Please follow me."

He motioned me to follow with the wave of his hand. And I did so, trying to register what was happening.

It was at least twenty paces down a row of huts that we finally stopped. It was a little bigger hut than all the other's, wispy smoke coming from it's top.

I dismounted my horse and tied it to the hitching post and followed the Village Chief into the hut.

As soon as I entered the hut I was overcame by the strong earthy scent of herbs and burning wood. Hides of all kinds of animals from near and far hung on the walls. Strange dried plants hung from the ceiling. Several small cushions of leathers sat around the fire that burned in the center of the hut. And in front of the fire sat a figure in a worn cloak it's hood drawn, in his hand was a staff, decorated with feathers and leather cords, on it's top was a falcon's skull.

"I have brought him as you asked, Shaman," Spoke the Village Chief, at my right, to the figure.

"I thank you, Rah-Nok" Spoke the figure in a deep distinct voice. "Now, please, leave us. I wish to speak with this man alone."

The Chief nodded and left, so it was just me and the Shaman.

The Figure rose and spoke to me, "Mathayus, the last time I saw you, you were a boy who wished to become a warrior. Now you're a warrior who wished to save the village that rased that boy."

I raised and eyebrow.

"Who are you?" I asked.

A pair of wrinkled hands went to the hood of the warn cloak and pulled it back to reveal the Shaman's face.

His hair was night black, flecked with a steely gray. His eye's where cloudier than a night before a storm. His face was worn with several wrinkles.

It took my a second to recognize this man from my childhood.

"Inactic?" I asked, unsure.

The man's face broke into a smile.

"Ah! So you _do_ remember me," He said.

"Well, who could forget when you helped my save Jesup from becoming a monster, or when you helped us save the tribe."

Inactic started laughed at that.

"Yes, you never did have a normal childhood did you?"

I shook my head.

"Please Mathayus, sit down, and let's talk," He said motioning to one of the cushions.

I walked over to one and sat down, he sat downacross fromme.

And for awhile that's what we did. Herelivedto me all of his adventures after leaving Akkad, and I told him of what had happened to Jesup, Rama, Karatas, and I, or at least for a short while.

The guilt of what happened overcame me.

There was a moment of silence between us old friends. Then Inactic spoke.

"I know what happened to Akkad, Mathayus, and about the sorcerer Magus."

I looked to him.

"You know?" I asked.

He nodded, standing up.

"Come with me," He said. "There is something you need to see, before you set off."

I stood up and followed him out of his hut. We walked several paces to the hut that was not far from his own. It was a little bigger than his, I noticed.

Inactic stopped at the door and turned to me.

"Through this door, you will see things that you may wish to forget," He advised.

I nodded.

Taking a deep breath he went in to the hut, and I followed him.

---

The hut was dark, and the second I breathed in I could smell the moldy, stale smell of death.

It took a few seconds for my eye to adjust to the light. Once they did I saw it.

Nubian warriors, some men, women and children laid on pallets of animal hides shaking as if cold, sweating as if hot, and eyes closed as if unconscious.

I turned to Inactic.

"One day a young warrior, one of the Chief's sons, came back from his lion hunt with the story of a Sorcerer who made him fight a horrible beast," Inactic spoke quietly. "The Sorcerer made an offer of the world, and the warrior refused."

He turned to me.

"That was six weeks ago, now he lies over there," Inactic said pointing to the pallet in the corner.

I looked to the man, he looked more skeletal than the rest of the men and women here.

"Can you cure them?" I asked.

Inactic sighed.

"I have tried every potion and elixir that I can come up with, Mathayus," Inactic replied softly. "This is power beyond my own."

I looked back to the many sick Nubians.

"It was a week after, while I was fire gazing that I saw who and where the sorcerer would strike again."

Suddenly, I understood who this Sorcerer was.

"Magus," I spoke.

Inactic nodded.

"I knew that Akkad would be next and went to warn King Urmhet when I myself fell ill," Inactic said.

I turned to him.

"So you weren't able to warn us?" I said.

Inactic nodded.

"My illness was short, but, after hearing reports of smoke coming from the Akkadian valley I knew I was too late," Inactic said sadly.

I nodded, understanding his greif.

Inactic took a deep breath and said, "It's not just your tribe who has suffered by the hand of Magus, Mathayus. Almost every other tribe that I have heard of is suffering."

Inactic lead me out of the hut and out into the harsh sunlight that I had to blink several times to get my eyes adjusted to. Images of the sick still fresh in my mind.

"So I am the only one who can stop Magus?" I asked.

"It's appears so, my old friend, it appears so."

---

I stayed the night in the village so my horse could rest and so I could help some of the sick howeverI could.

The next morning I went to my horse with fresh supplies, my weapons sharpened and well rested. Yet I felt as if the weight of the world where on my unworthy shoulders.

Inactic came out of his hut as I mounted my horse.

"Mathayus, there is a message that you will receive from a prophet sometime soon," He said. "The message is one you must hear."

I cocked an eyebrow.

"Nice to see you still as vague as you where when I was a child," I told him.

He smiled.

"Just be careful," Inactic said. "So much depends on you now."

"So I've noticed, old friend," I replied. "So I've noticed."

And I yawed my steed in the direction of the harbor city of Babylon.


	12. The Harbor City

**11**

**THE HARBOR CITY**

THREE DAYS AFTER MY MEETING WITH INACTIC I, FINALLY, BEHELD THE HARBOR CITY. Babylon asit was called but it's people.

From the sand dune I stood at I could see that it was easily five times bigger than Akkad. And, as I discovered as I walked though the streets, it was just as crowded.

I led my horse past stands of things from elaborate jewelry to glimmering metal weaponry.

As varied was the city's exports, so was it's people. From people of the Nubian tribe to the people from the farthest side of the known world this city seem to have every kind of tribe and people anyone could think of .

I traveled through the city's twisted streets to the harbor.

And I saw that there where many trading harbor masters in this place. But there was one I was looking for in particular.

Before I left Jesup had spoken of a Seti, so that is who I was looking for. After asking a few sailors, I finally found the mud brick made, harbor master's home I was looking for.

It must have had two levels to it as I saw but it still looked humble, for a rich trading harbor master.

Quickly, I tied my horse to a hitching post and went to the crude door and knocked.

"Come in," Spoke a soft feminine voice.

I pushed open the door to a nice sized room, walls adorned with maps of all kind and furniture and cushions of materials I had never seen.

Across the door from which I had entered was a small table, and at it sat a girl, perhaps a year or two younger then myself, she was pretty with curly dark hair and warm brown skin. She wore a crisp white tunic made of a material that I had never seen before.

"May I help you?" She asked, looking at me curiously.

"I'm here to see Seti," I said making my way to the front of her table. "I was told that he would be here."

The girl nodded.

"Follow me," She said, getting up from her table.

The girl led me to a door near by her table, and through it to a small corridor. Which had another door at it's end.

The girl grabbed hold of its wooden door handle and pulled it open. As she did so we were greeted by a voice yelling.

"Damn this map maker!" The voice proclaimed. "The mountains are no where _near_ that place! Even the gods themselves would be disgraced!"

"Father," Spoke the girl, entering the room.

I followed her in to a nice sized room, with couches of the same strange materials as her tunic in vibrant colors. There was a table near a window that overlooked the sea on this table was a pile of parchment maps.

The owner of the voice had looked up when the girl had spoken, a man with slightly gray hair, a tunic made of deep red linen edged in gold. His face was worn yet he had a slight boyish air to him.

"Yes, My dear?" he said, his voice calmer than before.

"This young man wishes to speak with you," said the girl, gesturing to me.

The man looked to me and nodded.

"Very well," He said. "Thank you, daughter."

The girl nodded and went behind me to the door. Leaving me and the man alone.

The man stood up walked to me and held out his hand.

"I am Seti," He said. "And, unless my eyes are giving out on me, your are an Akkadian warrior in need of a trip on a galley correct?"

I took his hand saying, "Yes, but how-?"

Seti just smiled, and he let go of my wrist.

"I have several friends among the Akkadian tribe."

Remembering something I asked, "Does that include an Akkadian named Jesup, the son of Kornith?"

"Why, yes," He said walking to the seat behind his table, he motioned for me to take the seat across from him "He's saved my life more than once. Do you know him?"

"Yes, He is my older brother," I said, sitting down.

The man leaned foreword as to get a better look at me.

"You're Mathayus aren't you?" He asked.

"He mentioned me?" I asked, surprised.

"More than one occasion. But all good things I can assure you."

I nodded.

"So what brings you to the Harbor City, Akkadian?" Seti asked, his voice business-like.

"I need to get on a galley that is going to Crete. And soon." I stated.

"Soon? That doesn't sound good. What's the emergency?"

I took a deep breath.

"It's about a sorcerer named Magus," I said.

"Wait," Seti said, stopping me before I could say anything else. "Isn't Magus that sorcerer whose been reeking havoc on the desert tribes?"

"Yes."

"What did he do to anger the Akkadians?"

I took a deep breath.

"He nearly killed us out," I said softly. I don't know how, but I somehow managed to tell him without too much difficulty.

"What?"

"They're dead. Every one of them besides Me, Jesup, and Rama."

"Oh by the gods," Seti breathed.

I said nothing, I just stared at the dirt floor.

"So you're going to Crete to get something that will stop him, I'm guessing?"

"Yes," I said strongly. "I am."

Seti sorted through the pile of parchment on his table. He shifted though the papers until he found one.

"The next ship for Crete leaves at noon tomorrow on the dock just out there," Seti said pointing a finger over his shoulder and out the window to a dock just out side. "I know the captain well enough to get you a free passage. In the meantime I invite you to stay and my brother-in-laws inn. It's just down the road. Tell him I sent you and you should have no trouble."

I couldn't help but be surprised how much Seti was wanting to help me.

"Thank you," I said, getting up.

"It's the least I can do, Mathayus. And it's about damn time someone gets rid of the bastard sorcerer. He's really been bad for trading, you know?"

I nodded in understanding.

"Well, Thank you once again," I said.

And I went to the door.

---

Later, that evening at dusk I found myself at that inn that Seti had suggested. My room was decent-sized with a small table where I put my supplies, and my weapons, the cot that was to be my bed was in the corner, with sheets of brown linen.

But I was in no mood to sleep. So I sat at one of the chairs at the table, sharpening my knifes and my scimitar. I thought quietly of how much I missed Latana, Karatas, and King Urmhet. I also wondered about the parting message Inactic had let me off with, the words echoing in my mind.

_There is a message that you will receive from a prophet... The message is one you must hear._

Suddenly there was another slight salty breeze form the sea that flitted from the widow that was across from the chair I sat at.

There was something on the air that left me felling a little drowsy, but I kept on sharpening my scimitar. But as the wind kept blowing I swear I could smell something both sweet and strong in the air.

As time progressed I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open. And I could swear I heard a voice as soft as a whisper and as gentle as a lullaby call my name.

Fatigue was suddenly overwhelming me. I wearily sat my scimitar down on to the table and made my way to the cot. As I did I could hear an unearthly chanting. A part of me wanted to find out who was chanting and calling my name. But most of me just wanted to rest my eyes.

I fell on to the cot as the voice called my name, as loud as a person speaking. And fell I fell in to a trance-like state even deeper than sleeping.


	13. Nightmarish Omens

**AN-** I am **so** sorry that I haven't updated in,what feels like, forever.

I'm sorry to say but I've been quite distracted lately for several reasons. One, I had a bad case of writer's block for the longest time so I'm really sorry if this chapter isn't my best. Two, I had school to prepare for this state testing to see how good our school is yada yada, I also had a10 page report that I had to do as well (I'm not complaining, it was on Anicent Egyptian Mythology). And Three, after waiting for a **long **time I finally got _Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time _for my Playstation 2 (awesome game if you ever get a chance to play). So, sorry once agian.

Also, I just thought you should know, that after this chapter there is one chapter left until Book 2. Don't worry, school's got a few weeks left so hopefully I'll be able to update more often!

**_Sorceress Cassandra180_**

P.S. Sorry the note'sso long, now on with the story

* * *

**12**

**NIGHTMARISH OMENS**

I OPENED MY EYES TO SEE A STRANGE SIGHT. I was in a forest of skeletal trees, all a pale white, casting shadows. The ground was covered in a slight fog and the sky was shades of purple, deep red and, orange. Almost like the sunset, except there was no sun in sight. The landscape was made even more dream like with the fog that covered the ground,

"Hello?" I called.

My voice echoed across the clearing.

At first no one replied, then…

_  
"Akkadian,"_ spoke a female voice as soft as a whisper.

I swung around.

"Who's there?" I asked.

My hand went to my sheathe, grasping my scimitar hilt.

_"Really, Akkadian, is that necessary?" _Asked the voice, amused at my actions.

"Show yourself!" I demanded.

"If you insist," Spoke a voice.

And suddenly, as if materialized from thin air, a figure in a long black cloak appeared, hood drawn. Unsure, I slightly pulled out my scimitar.

"You need not fear me, Mathayus," Spoke a voice that came from the person in the black cloak, taking a few steps closer to me.

_"If I was to kill you, don't you think I would of done it already?"_

I drew in my breath sharply, and took a few steps back. Those words, they seemed to slide across my mind, I could feel them, more than hear them.

"Who are you?" I asked, frankly.

The figure stopped. Two hands bedecked with sliver appeared from the folds of the cloak and went to the hood. In a slight ceremony, the figure pulled back their hood.

There before me stood a women. Her hair was as black as night, her skin had a golden tint, and her eyes where like dark glittering jewels. Through the gap in her cloak I could see that she wore a brassiere made of a silver material, with a skirt to match. Across her forehead was a headdress of sliver, in its center was a symbol, that reminded me of a shining star.

In the space between the opening of her long black cloak I could see a glittering silver halter, and a silver skirt and sandals.

Suddenly, I knew who this was.

"You," I said, remembering a tale I was told when I was a child. "I've heard of you. You're the sorceress that helped Urmhet years before I was born. He called you 'The Night Star'."

A smile crossed her elegant face.

"Nice to see Urmhet honored those who helped him. I remember him as well, he was unlike other kings in this land and ruled fairly and justly," Spoke the sorceress.

I looked down the ground.

_And it's my fault he died,_ I thought to myself. A slight pain in my chest came after the thought. But it was true. The sorceress must of saw the look on my face since she looked to me, her eyes filled with understanding.

"I am truly sorry for you're loss. No wonder why you grieve for him, not many men can lead a country and not have the power turn them into tyrant"

I nodded, sighing.

"He was like a father to me," I spoke.

"And you're tribe and your cousins…"

I looked away and nodded. For awhile there was nothing but silence between us. Then the Night Star took a deep breath.

"Akkadian, I know that your quest is one that the fate of many may be on your shoulders," the sorceress said with a sigh. "But I'm here to tell you that-"

Suddenly the Night Star stopped. Her eyes darted to the shadows, as if she saw something.

"What is it?" I asked, curiously.

"Hush," the sorceress said suddenly.

Her dark eyes surveyed the shadows, expectantly, as if she was waiting for something.

Then there was an icy cold breeze that, like oil on a flame, fed the powerful sense of dread inside me. It was strange but the shadows seem to grow closer and closer to us.

"Oh no," The Night Star breathed.

I turned to her to see her, a hand to her mouth, her eye's filled with fear.

"What is it?" I asked, hand going to my scimitar hilt.

The sorceress turned to me.

"It's the dark gods the Magus has allied with," she said, her voice trembling. "They-they must of known that I came here to warn you-"

But before she could say more, a sound issued like wind, whistling through the bones of the dead. I looked around.

"Do you hear tha-?" I started as I turned to the sorceress.

She wasn't looking at me. She was staring, fearful, at one of the shadows. I glanced at it to see something that sent chills down my spine:

A pair of blood red glowing eyes where staring at me.

Quickly I whipped out my scimitar. As soon as I did a figure stepped from the shadows. It' s features where all in black. It almost looked as if it had once been human, but it's form was twisted and grotesque, with a chest that you could see the ribs, it's head bald, it's arms, legs and hands long. It's fingers tipped with claws.

Suddenly another appeared, then another, then another. We where almost surrounded.

Thinking quickly, I jumped forward and swung my scimitar at the midsection of the creature. If it where any other opponent that I had faced I would of cut them in two. But it was like I had cut through air. I sliced again. It had the same effect, and if it changed anything.

"Damn," I muttered as I realized what had happened.

I was just able to duck as the creature suddenly came, angrily slashing at me. Wisely, I backed up to where I was at the Sorceress' side.

"Well, I do _hope_ you have a plan," I said with a slight edge in my voice as the creatures came edging closer.

"Actually I do…" The Night Star said, suddenly taking my left arm.

It was then more of those shadow creatures appeared, and crept even closer.

"_RUN!"_

I ran alongside the Sorceress, her black cape bellowed around her like a bird taking flight as she ran. We went down a pathway that led us through the forest of dead trees. Shadow phantoms appearing us almost every step we took.

Suddenly the pathway split in two. Forking both right and left.

I glanced to the pathway on the left. Beyond it, about fifty paces, I could see what looked like a rope bridge.

" Come on!" I urged, grabbing her arm and pulling her alongside me.

I could hear the whistling sound as those shadow phantoms crept closer.

We had to be about thirty paces away from the bridge when I heard a slight cry and the Night Star's arm slipped out of my grasp.

I swung around to see that, somehow, the Night Star had fallen and one of those Phantoms had crept dangerously close to her.

I ran to it, and stepped before it, blocking it's way to the Sorceress. I swung at it's shoulder. This was futile, but I had hoped to distract it long enough for the Sorceress to get to her feet.

Surely enough, my sword passed through it as if it was mere shadow.

Then, before I could dodge it. The creature swung around and with it's claws, slashed my arm. I felt a quick taste of stinging, searing pain. Glancing down, I could see three long slashes.

Slightly backing up, I watched as the creature raised it's clawed fingers.

Then, what looked like a ball of flaming white light came flying over my shoulder and hit the creature in the chest. Making it issue out a cry that make my blood shudder.

I swung around to see the Night Star, her head held regally high, another burning ball of white light in her hand.

"Quickly!" She called.

I ran to her as she threw the flaming ball she had in her hand, and, together, we ran on to the rope bridge. Her first, me second

The old wood gave creaks of protest as we ran across. The bridge was around one hundred paces down so we had a long run, with the shadow phantoms not far behind us.

"Akkadian!" The Sorceress cried, stopping so abruptly that I almost ran into her.

I looked over her shoulder (not hard to do since she was a head shorted then me), to see more of those Shadow demons. The creaks behind us told us that the ones behind us where not that far as well.

We where surrounded.

"Damn it," I muttered.

As the edged closer they stopped running and strode slowly. It was as if they knew that we had nowhere else to go, and where savoring our fear as the crept closer.

They had to have been less then twenty paces when the Sorceress suddenly turned to me. Her dark eyes set, determined.

"Go on with your quest, Mathayus," She spoke, her voice strong. "But be warned: The hidden cobra does not attack until it sees fit. In other words,not all is as it seems."

I looked to her surprised.

Was this the warning that she had been sent to tell me? I went to ask her what she meant when she put a hand on my brow and started chanting in a language unknown to me. Instantly the air felt as it did before a terrible storm, as if it where filled with an energy of it's own. There was a sudden breeze, that softly rocked the rope bridge.

To my surprise, the shadow creatures suddenly paused, as if confused. Unsure they took several steps back.

It was then the Night Star's chanting got louder, and louder until I could barely think.

The air seem to tremble, thick with a strange power. The soft breeze had become an angry wind, that whipped my hair around my bare shoulders. The small rope bridge swung this way and that way so violently that I was barely able to keep my balance.

The shadow creatures where backing away in horrorwhen it suddenly happened.

There was a whirl of color and a flash of light, then I plunged into darkness.

---

There was a sudden light and I jerked up to find myself in a sweat on some sort of bed. I swung around, to see I was in some sort of room in what looked like a tavern. Moonlight poured from the window, illuminating a small table with many contents on it, two chairs, and a bedside table next to the bed I slept in.

At first I was confused. The images of the Night Star fresh in my mind.

_How did I get here?_

It was then I remembered my conversation with Seti and the tavern that I had decided to stay in for the night. I also remembered my sudden fatigue and how I collapsed onto the bed.

Could that talk with the Sorceress have been a dream? I wasn't sure, sense it felt so real, but then again, so do most dreams.

I wiped away the sweat that was on my forehead, but I still could not get cooled off. So, I got up off the bed and went to the table. Grabbing my water skin I uncorked it and took a long drink.

_That encounter had to be a dream_, I decided as it sat the water skin back down. _Why else would I awake in a tavern room unscathed?_

I took another long sip, and glanced at my window. From the position of the moon I could tell it had to be around the mid of night.

I then, that it would be best if I went back to sleep, after all, it would not be long before daybreak.

I went back to the bed and went to lay down when I felt a sharp acute pain shoot up my arm.

_What the-? _

I then held my arm to the moon light to see what had caused me this sharp shock of pain.

And to my horror, three long bloody cuts greeted me, looking as if they had been made by claws…


	14. Dangerous Storms

**13**

**DANGEROUS STORMS**

I STOOD ON THE DOCKS AS THE RED SUN ROSE THAT MOURNING. I gazed at it as it's blood red light danced on the surface of the ocean.

I could not sleep the rest of that night. In truth I did not want to. I just laid awake, pondering the sorceress's riddle of a warning.

What did the Sorceress mean by saying '_the hidden cobra does not attack until it sees fit, not all is as it seems'_? Was it a warning of betrayal? But, from whom? Everyone that meant anything to me was either dead or faraway. I was on my own.

But still this troubled me, and greatly.

"Ah! Mathayus my friend," Greeted a voice behind me that broke me from my thoughts.

I turned to see Seti; he looked somewhat cheerful this morning.

"How are you?" He asked, holding out his hand.

I took his wrist and shook it once.

"I am well," I replied. "Tired but well."

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked.

I shook my head no.

"Well, it happens the first time you are going out to sea," Seti informed me. "I remember the first time I went out on a galley. Did you have any bad dreams?"

"I did in fact," I told him.

"Well, no worries, this is one of the safest galleys in all of the sea," Seti said with a smile. "I usually have bad dreams before my greatest deals and they always give me good luck."

He clapped my shoulder.

"I'm sure it will be the same for you," He told me, reasurringly.

_Easy for you to say_, I thought to myself, for some reason I had a bad feeling.

"Now, let me show you to the galley," Seti said, gesturing for me to follow him.

We walked on to the docks, and past at least three massive ships when Seti stopped me at the third galley, anchored nearby. It looked to be made of a dark wood that looked sturdy enough. The galley looked to be thirty paces from stern to bow and ten paces from starboard to port. It's mast rose high above the ship, it's stark white sail rolled up.

"Beautiful isn't she?" Seti said, obviously proud of the galley before us. "She's one of the fastest ever made."

"If she's fast and she's taking me to Crete then she's more then beautiful, Seti," I said.

I could hear the trader beside me give a slight chuckle at my comment. I watched as crewmen scurried on the ship like ants, some men where already boarding the ship before me. I turned to Seti.

"Thank you for your help," I told him.

Seti shook his head.

"No, do not thank me, Akkadian. I owe a great debt to your tribe. I'm only sorry that they had to meet the wrath of that **_damned sorcerer_**," Seti replied, saying the last two words like he had uttered a curse.

I nodded.

"Good-bye, Seti," I said, walking to the boarding plank.

I was almost halfway there when I heard a voice call my name.

"Mathayus!"

I turned to the trader. Whose face lookedoddly serious.

"Be careful," He advised.

Seti looked pointedly out on to the red sky.

"Many sailor's see the red sun as a bad omen, a warning for terrible things to come," He called to me.

Then without explaining further he turned and walked away. I just rolled my eyes at this.

_That's just what I need,_ I thought, sarcastically, to myself as I turned back to the boarding plank. _Another cryptic warning that makes no sense._

---

After my first few days on the galley I came to learn that life at sea was very different the life on land. The constant swaying of the ship, boredom, and the obvious lack of space became was a problem to many men. But, after awhile, I got used to the rolling waves that would rock the ship. I helped the crew whenever I could to keep myself from worrying about the sorceress' warning.

The captain, a callused man called Nokamen had told us that it would take, perhaps, fourteen days to reach the Minoan island. That is if the wind was on our side, and we didn't run in to any storms along the way.

Unfortunately that would later become what would happen to us.

It was the seventh day out at sea, I believe when I woke to a strange pounding against the hull of the ship, and a deep rolling thunder. At once I noticed how violently the ship was rocking. I also noticed several cries from above.

I, quickly, grabbed my leather bag that I had filled with my weapons, and slung it over my shoulder. I run up on to the main deck to see what was going on.

The first thing I was hit by was a thick downpour of rain, as well as a whipping wind. We had been caught in a dangerous storm.

"Reef the mainsail!" Yelled a frantic voice above the thunder and rain. "Come on men! Get us closer to the wind or we'll become food for the sea monsters!"

I tried to keep my balance on the slick wood, as the ship gave a sudden jerk.

Suddenly a great wave washed over on the port side, causing the ship to tilt. I grabbed onto the railing of the ship and watched as two men, helplessly where overcome by the great wave and swept out into the tide.

"Men overboard!" cried a voice suddenly.

The ship gave another sudden jerk. Suddenly there was a crack of lighting that appeared from the sky, and hit the base of the mast. Causing it to fall to the deck floor.

The last thing I remember was shoving a young sailor out of the path of the falling mast. I had looked up to see it just mere inches from my head.

There was a fierce pounding in my head, an insane throbbing in my skull. Then everything slowly faded in to darkness.

_END OF BOOK 1..._


	15. Somewhere in the Desert

**BOOK 2**

* * *

"Resurrected back before the final fallen  
I'll never rest until I can make my own way  
I'm not afraid of fading  
I stand alone"  
- GODSMACK'S "_I Stand Alone_"

* * *

**PROLOUGE:**

**_SOMEWHERE IN THE DESERT…_**

_Magus, the Dark sorcerer of the Netherworld, one most favored of the Evil Chaos God, Set, stood in the highest chamber of the tower he had erected. _

_This chamber was perfect for what he had planned._

_It's wall's where made of the white finest marble, and many doors that lined of this large circular chamber were made of the darkest woods. Out of these many doors there was at least four doors, each in a position of the four winds, that were carved intricately carved. Each of these doors was the exit to the tower below. The high walls opening up to the starry night sky, where a silver of a crescent moon hung in the deep black sky._

_It was in the center of this chamber there was a sinister altar made of a wicked deep green marble. It was at this altar the sorcerer stood. A ball of soft blue light seemingly floating in mid-air before him, undistinguishable images in it's center._

_Atop the sorcerer's silver hair was golden crown which bore his symbol. His snake like cuirass, snake head-like shoulder pads, gold and ruby encrusted arm guards, dark breeches, a golden scepter in hand, and a blood red cloak over his back only added to his evil aura._

_Magus stared intently into the ball of blue light. Meanwhile one of the four doors opened. A man wearing black and metal plated cuirass with a face like a demon appeared, his dark eye's dancing with malice. He went to his master until he was a respectable ten paces away from him._

_He knelt and lowered his eyes._

_"My lord," He murmured. "It is done."_

_Magus waved his hand, making the ball of blue light disappear. He turned his cold dark eyes to his general._

_"Did you destroy the Place of Akkad?" He asked in a cold sere voice._

_"Yes, my lord. There where only few that survived our attack. Do you wish us to go after them?"_

_Magus shook his head._

_"No, do not worry about them. The have been taken care of."_

_Suddenly the door the general had entered the chamber, had opened once again. A man with a shaven head with black leathers, and a red belt entered._

_"My Lord!" He said breathless._

_Quickly he feel to his knees. Magus cocked an eyebrow only mildly surprised._

_"What is it?"_

_"The Akkadian, My Lord. The one you put under strict guarding," He said._

_"Mathayus?"_

_"Yes, My Lord. He has escaped! He along with a few of the other prisoners, including-"_

_"Hammet," Magus finished, his face looking stern._

_For a few seconds there was silence. Then the general looked up._

_"Does this mean Mathayus knows about-?"_

_"The Sword of Osiris, yes," Magus nodded, turning away from his men. "My old colleague has, no doubt, told him all about it's power."_

_The general and the prison guard exchanged frighten looks. Fearing the wrath of their master, for it was that same wrath that fell upon the Akkadian race..._

_And destroyed it._

_"Should I gather my men to-", The general started but stopped when his master shook his head._

_"No, Aten," He said over his shoulder. "By this time the Akkadian has to be no farther the harbor city."_

_"Then what must we do, My Lord?"._

_Magus turned to the man and gave his general a malicious smile, that sent shivers of fear through his skin._

_"We wait."_

_And with that, Magus waved off his two best warriors. To this sorcerer, it didn't matter that the Akkadian race was almost completely wiped out, nor did it matter that few had survived._

_After all, he had his plan to worry about._

_Magus turned back to his wicked altar and waved his hand. In a blast of light, the softy glowing blue sphere of light was back._

_This time there was an image in it's center, clearer than before…_

…A galley caught in a deadly storm, and a muscled youth with dark hair, dark eyes, and copper skin on the top deck. It was Mathayus, pushing a man out of the way of something. Out of the way of the ships mast, crashing down atop the youth's head.

_Magus started laughing mechanically at this._

_All was going according to plan._


	16. Cursed Island

**1**

**THE CURSED ISLAND**

I AWOKE TO THE SOUND OF SLOSHING WAVES. My head pounding with an insane throbbing pain. My small scratches and cuts stinging from the salty sea water. Rather groggily, I sat up, rubbed my temple, and looked around.

As far as I could tell I was on a sandy beach somewhere, small cliffs of rocks surrounded the small beach, pieces of wood littered the shore. The sun was blocked by thick gray clouds. Rain pelted down onto my alreadyacheing head.

At first I was extremely confused.

_Why the hell was I doing on a beach in the middle of nowhere? _

_Shouldn't I be preparing for the test King Urmhet was to give me?_

It was then it all rushed back, like the waves on the shore.

In flashes I remembered going before King Urmhet to take my test, arriving in Khemet by cover of darkness, reaching the chambers of the one that I was to assassinate to only find a half eaten corpse, fighting the monster that had killed the lord of the town, and then the Offer from the sorcerer, Magus.

I groaned as all the other memories came back.

I then remembered the underground prison, meeting the old and wizened Hammet, escaping with him and several other men, then just after escaping seeing the pillar of smoke from a far off valley. A Valley that had been my home.

In a terrible blur I remembered Akkad, Karatas, Latana, King Urmhet, and the rest of my people. I then remembered my quest and my oath. My oath to rid the tribes of the sorcerer Magus.

Then I got a flash of the galley leaving the Harbor City to go to Crete, then the storm.

"Oh damn," I couldn't help but mutter.

If that wasn't enough, I was now shipwrecked on an island in the middle of the sea.

I stood up on my unsteady legs, like a body reaction Igroped my beltfor my scimitar. Good. It was still in the leather sheathe that I had strapped to my waist.

I quickly looked around, hoping that somehow my pack of weapons had washed up onto the beach and not somewhere at the bottom of the sea. It was then I saw it, my leather sack, partially floating on a piece of wood that could have been none other then the deck of the ship I had been on.

Not questioning this rare blessing, I ran to it and grabbed my sack off the drifting wood. I quickly and thoroughly checked my knifes, blades, and other weapons that I had put in my sack. They seemed a bit damp but none had been lost to the sea, or started rusting for that matter. At this I smiled.

I may be trapped on a unknown island, but at least I was well armed.

After I put several new knifes onto my belt did I bother to look up at the small cliffs that seemed to cut this beach away from the rest of the island. It was then I noticed, for the first time a strangely worn crack in the wall of rock.

It looked oddly like a pathway.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to think of any other options that I had, and finding none that would do me any good.

Deftly I slung the leather pack over my shoulders and walked to the path.

I could only hope that the locals would take kindly to my sudden appearance.

---

The winding path lead me to, what looked like a high way of some sort. On this highway was a broken sign that I couldn't read, but I recognized it's strange style. It had to be Minoan. But was it the place I wanted to be was the true question.

I followed the highway a for a short while when I saw it, something that made me stop and sharply take in breath. From the small gouge that I stood in I could see, what looked to be, a towering city and it's thick walls surrounding it, but it wasn't this that had surprised me. It was what the city looked like from the distance I was.

It looked crumbled, cracked, and in ruin. Massive structures, seemingly had toppled over like a child's building blocks. Pillars where cracked, barely able to hold high the massive weight that they where burdened with. The walls that protected the city looked near crumbing and was cracked in so many places that it would not last a fierce attack. But what was the most disturbing is that it looked as if whatever disaster that had struck this city had happened quite recently.

I had heard as a child from the older warriors and their travels about things like this happening. They even mentioned of several places that they went where the grand places had toppled over on to members of the royal family due to a strange cataclysm, the ground shaking violently as if the gods themselves where playing with mortals. They even came to speak of it's name as well, it called a earthquake.

I took a step foreword to take a closer look. It was then I saw two guards near by two cracked doors of dark wood that any fool could see led to the city. Both men where wearing dyed woolen skirts, thick leather cuirass', and bronze helmets crafted to have (what appeared to be) a bull horn on either side of their head.

_Minoans_.

As I took another step closer I could see both guards where surveying the clearing with watchful eyes, as if expecting something terrible would happen. Suddenly, one glanced over in my direction so fast that I wasn't able to take cover and properly hide myself.

"Who goes there?" Called the Minoan guard, a hand noticeably going to the pommel of his sheathed bronze sword.

I stepped into the clearing, hands raised so I was at the mercy of their arrow should the have comrades waiting with bows and arrow.

"My name is Mathayus and I don't mean to cause anyalarm, but I was shipwrecked here," I told them.

The two guards exchanged glances and let got of their sword handles. Meanwhile, I lowered my hands, and started walking to them. Each step I took, the condition of the city seem to worsen. It was when I stood before the Minoan guards did I ask.

"What has happened here?" I asked. "Was it some sort of earthquake?"

One of the Minoan guards shook his head.

"No, much worse," He said. "It was a beast! The bullheaded one himself has come to our island!"

"A bullheaded beast did this?" I breathed. Quickly remembering the old man, Hammet's words that he had spoke at the beginning of my quest:

_Across the sea to the north, there is an island, Crete I believe, where a great city stands, blow this city is and ancient chamber, or tomb, where legends say the Sword is kept, guarded by strange beasts…_

Meanwhile, the guard nodded.

"When it came upon our shores the ground seemed to tremble with the steps of it's mighty hooves," Spoke the other Minoan guard. "Our great building began to topple. Our people ran to the boats, but there were few of us (warriors and guards mostly) who stayed behind to fight. We have the beast trapped in the tomb. But it still shakes our island."

It was then at that moment the ground seemed to shudder. As it did I could help but noticed that it rumbled in perfect rhythm of a giant beasts footsteps.

Quickly I made up my mind.

"Take me to this beast, Minoans," I demanded. "I must see it."

Both guards looked to me as if I lost my sanity.

"**_What!_**" Exclaimed one of the guards. "Many of our men **_died_** to lock the **damned thing **up! We can't let you in there!"

"I can look after myself," I told him coolly.

"I'm not worried about you, Akkadian," said the Minoan guard, shaking his head. "But the beast **mustn't **get loose again."

"Don't worry," I told the guards. "It won't get loose."

The two guards looked to each other, it was from that look I could tell where this conversation would soon lead.

"Listen, if you'll just let me explain-."

But before I could go on, both guards whipped out their bronze swords from their scabbards.

"No, Akkadian, you listen," spoke one of the Minoan guards, an edge in his tone. "We _don't care_ what your purpose is on this island, but whatever that reason is we **can't** have you open the tomb."

"Leave our island **now**, Akkadian," said the other guard in a harsh tone. "Or you will have to face the consequences."

I didn't want to fight them but it looked as if I didn't have any choice. I had to get to that tomb, I just **had** to.

"My quest **does not** involve you, Minoans," I told them, observing their stances, deciding what would be the best way to take them down.

"But if I must fight you to reach the tomb," I paused to pulled out my gleaming metal scimitar.

"Then I will."

"_Attack him!_"

Quickly, one of the guards leapt foreword, bearing a downward slash as to cut me in half. I quickly blocked it up high with my scimitar, and with my free hand, sent my fist into his stomach.

The guard grunted in pain, and slumped foreword, giving me a chance to send my sword hilt crashing on his head. He fell to the ground unconscious.

Almost as quick as his comrade had fallen, did the other guard act.

He swung a slash at my side, that I quickly parried, and gave a counter attack. He dodged, but barely, my blade had cut a thick red line in his arm. Angry, he swung again, this time at my head. I parried, taking enough time to unsheathe a knife from my belt. I then, quickly, swung at his head, forcing him to block it, as he did so, I stepped foreword and plunged the knife into his shoulder.

He stepped back, howling and muttering curses in pain.

"I _warned you_ to stay out of my way," I said coldly, leaping foreword, punching the man in the jaw, making him fall like his friend before him.

With but guards laying like the dead weights they where, I turned my sights to the door. Quickly sheathing my scimitar, I ran to the doors. Putting my hands on each door, I pushed with all the strength I could muster, almost instantly, the door opened. And I went in.

---

It was only when I stepped into the city did I truly see the damaged that the bullheaded beast had done. Parts of the great buildings littered the dirt streets, the buildings that did remain standing looked as if they would topple over any minute. The current rain that fell down in a sheet, made the city look even more depressing.

I went up a stone staircase that lead to the square. Quickly glancing around I could see a several tent's that looked as if they had been set up quite recently. My guess was the few Minoan soldiers that did survive the hard job of trapping the bullheaded best were now forced to camp in tent in the shadows of the buildings that they once lived in.

After I had surveyed the area, I quickly dashed to one of the many piles of debris that sat in the square. I looked around, hoping to see a sign of some sort that could lead me to the tomb.

I dashed to hide behind another pile. It was a good thing I did as well, at that moment a band of Minoans walked past my last hiding place. I could faintly hear them speak several words. I inched closer to the edge of the pile, wanting to get as far away from them and the possibility of another fight. As soon as I did I could hear a threatening _hiss_ just above the rainfall and chatter of men.

I glanced over to see the last thing any man would want to see in my position.

An adder of the most deadly variety, curled up on a nearby stone, and ready to strike. I quickly unsheathed one of my throwing knifes, as the adder gave an even more persistent hiss; making it clear that it did not like me so near it's new home in the debris. I flicked the knife, so it would be in a better position to do what I knew I would have to next.

The deadly adder then striked as fast as a lightning flash, but I had anticipated this. As the adder lunged itself forward I, narrowly, dodged it. Then quickly raised the knife and sent it crashing down upon the adder's skull. The knife killed it on impact, the blade pinning the once deadly viper on to the stone where it once sat curled up on.

It was then I could hear footsteps draw close, quickly I dashed over to another pile of debris. Once I felt I was safely hid I took a deep breath, trying to regain myself over that sudden bust of energy. I peered over a rock to see the Minoan soldiers…

…who where regarding the dead snake pinned with my dagger!

_Damn it!_

There was no way that they could ignore the fact that that dagger was not of Minoan creation. It wasn't bronze like there's nor was it simple like theirs as well.

I winced a bit when I heard the now familiar sound of bronze scraping against leather as they unsheathed their swords.

"We know you're out there, Intruder!" Yelled a voice threateningly. "Show yourself! Or are you a coward?"

Anger filled me with his statement.

_If he has seen what I had seen these past days he wouldn't dare to call me a coward,_ I thought to myself.

I quickly unsheathed several other throwing knifes that I wore on my belt. Taking a deep breath I stepped out from my hiding place. The Minoan soldiers gasped.

"It's an Akkadian!" one of them exclaimed, suddenly.

Using this sudden hesitation, I tossed two of the blades so, in the air, they faced point down. Quickly, I caught them, and threw them both. The blades, broke threw the thin bronze helmets and lodged themselves between the eyes of two of the Minoan guards. I drew out my scimitar, as the third ran at me.

The guard slashed at my shoulder. I parried the blow and quickly swung around with a slash of my own at his chest, my blade cut through, although not as much as I would hope it would. It was a gasp, making a bit of blood seep from it.

The soldier winced in pain, and angrily lunged forward. I dodged it, by stepping to one side, letting him come to me. It was then I elbowed him forcefully in the jaw, knocking him out and on to the ground.

It was then I heard the sound of running footsteps behind me, I forced my scimitar so far behind my back that when the guard that was running at my with a sword swing I blocked it with ease. I swung around with a punch that caught him in the jaw, making him stumble back. I held the sword in my hand and spun around, giving him a deadly deep slash from his shoulder to his side, making him fall to the ground.

I sheathed my scimitar, went to the stone where my knife was sheathed into stone and snake skull. I yanked out the blade, and put in onto my belt. It was then I could swear I felt something behind me.

I swung around to see a demonic looking gate, made of wrought black iron, and icy silver. Somehow, with a knowledge I couldn't explain, I just, well, _knew_, that the cursed tomb was beyond that. My training had taught me years ago to listen to my instincts no matter how strange they may seem.

Taking a deep breath, I strode up to the gate. The closer I came, the more evil it looked. Once I was before it, I could see a rusty chain and lock wrapped around it. I took up my scimitar, taking a deep breath I raised the blade above my head, and sent it crashing down.

There was a loud _CLANK!_ Then the chain snapped, almost as instantly as the blade hit the rusty metal. The chain fell to the wet ground. Gingerly, I opened the gate and stepped in.


End file.
